Syllable counter

[Bruno Ribeiro]

Hi again,

I'm really desperate!
So in this program I have to count the number of syllabels based on the following heuristics:

Count up the number of vowels in the word (including 'y'), except for
• Vowels that have vowels directly before them, and
• The letter e, if it appears by itself at the end of a word.

My code is always getting an error "String.charAt(int) line: not available for the line"

import acm.program.*;
import java.util.*;

public class CopyOfSyllableCounting extends ConsoleProgram {
	public void run() {
                 while (true) {
			String word = readLine("Enter a single word: ");
			println("  Syllable count: " + syllablesIn(word));
		}
	}

private int syllablesIn(String word) {
		int numSyllables = 0;
		String upperCaseWord = word.toUpperCase();
		
		for (int i = 0; i < word.length(); i++){
			char c = upperCaseWord.charAt(i-1);
			char ch = upperCaseWord.charAt(i);
			
			if ("AEIOUY".indexOf(ch) >= 0 && "AEIOUY".indexOf(c) < 0){
				numSyllables++;
			}
		}
		
		if (upperCaseWord.charAt(upperCaseWord.length()-1) == 'E'){
			numSyllables -= 1;
		}
		
		if(numSyllables <= 0){
			numSyllables = 1;
		}
		return numSyllables;
	}
}

Thanks for the help!

[Campbell Ritchie]

And which lone is that error on?

[Junilu Lacar]

On line 17, what happens when i == 0?

[Bruno Ribeiro]

Junilu Lacar wrote:On line 17, what happens when i == 0?

I think the problem is there, I just don't know how to come around it

Campbell Ritchie wrote: And which lone is that error on?

Line 18

[Campbell Ritchie]

There most certainly is a charAt(int) method. I suggest you follow that link and copy and paste the name of the method just in case there is a strange spelling error.

I copied and pasted your code and it compiled all right for me.

[Bruno Ribeiro]

It compiles right, but when I write a word it crashes.

[Henry Wong]

Bruno Ribeiro wrote:It compiles right, but when I write a word it crashes.

First, you have to give more details than "crashes". This really doesn't help us. And you should want to help us help you.


Anyway, as you already figured out, the issue is that you are doing a charAt(i-1) method call, and when the variable "i" is zero, the expression tries to retrieve the character at index negative one, which does not exist.

The answer is simply "don't do that". This is an edge condition -- meaning the edge of the loop (index zero) is handled slightly differently than the rest of the loop. Now, you can try to figure out an algorithm that takes care of the edge too. Or you can simply take care of index zero first (and separately) from the loop, and then modify your loop to start at index one.

Henry

[Liutauras Vilda]

Bruno Ribeiro wrote:It compiles right, but when I write a word it crashes.

Hi Bruno,
Have you tried to think about the case, when "i = 0"

char c = upperCaseWord.charAt(i-1);

[Bruno Ribeiro]

I'm sorry Henry, you are right. Since I'm not with the program at the moment I can't specify much more. I'll be more careful in the future.

I thought about what you recommended (use another loop that starts at one). I will try that later and come back too you.

[Campbell Ritchie]

And what is the error message? Is it the same as Junilu predicted yesterday?

I see others have already hinted that.

[Bruno Ribeiro]

I solved the problem with the help or Henry tips. Thank you everyone for your advices, and sorry for not being specific, I still have to learn how to work with tghe debugging system and learn more technical terms so I can help you help me.

The final code (I know its messy, if you got any advices about how to shorten it I would be most grateful!):

import acm.program.*;

public class CopyOfSyllableCounting extends ConsoleProgram {
	
	public void run() {
		/* Repeatedly prompt the user for a word and print out the estimated
		 * number of syllables in that word.
		 */
		while (true) {
			String word = readLine("Enter a single word: ");
			println("  Syllable count: " + syllablesIn(word));
		}
	}
		
	private int syllablesIn(String word) {
		int numSyllables = 0;
		//Set everything to upper case
		String upperCaseWord = word.toUpperCase();
		//The loop will run from 1 to the character before the last
		for (int i = 1; i < upperCaseWord.length()-1; i++){
			char ch = upperCaseWord.charAt(i);
			char c = (upperCaseWord.charAt(i-1));
		//Only adds if the char is in the index AND if there is no
		//other letter in the index fore i	
			if ("AEIOUY".indexOf(ch) >= 0 && "AEIOUY".indexOf(c) == -1){
				numSyllables++;
			}
			
		}
		//Check the first character
		char a = upperCaseWord.charAt(0);
		//Check the last character
		char b = upperCaseWord.charAt(upperCaseWord.length()-1);
		
		//Not count if 'E' is the last char
		if (b == 'E'){
			numSyllables = numSyllables;
		} 
		//Add if the last char is not 'E'
		else if ("AIOUY".indexOf(b) >= 0){
			numSyllables++;
		}
		//Add if the first character is in the index
		if ("AEIOUY".indexOf(a) >= 0){
			numSyllables++;
		}
		//There must be atleast one syllable
		if(numSyllables <= 0){
			numSyllables = 1;
		}
		return numSyllables;
	}
}

Have a nice weekend!
Bruno

[ashish lumar]

thnks for this code is it also work for different language also....

[Tim Cooke]

Ashish, your syllable counter thinks that "flavour" has zero syllables.