Help with toString message

[lizz Palmer]

I have a horrible project lol that I have been working on forever. I am so close lol. Here's my code:

package chapt10;

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.io.*;

// class CH10PR2

public class CH10PR02{

    		public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

    			Student [] studentsArray = new Student[99];
    			int count = 0;
    			int total = 0;
    			double average = 0.0;
    			double score = 0.0;
    			double fail = 0.0;
    			
    			 try {
    			Scanner aScanner = new Scanner(new FileReader(
    					"src//chapt10//Students.txt"));
    			
    			while (aScanner.hasNext()){
    				Student student = new Student();
    				student.setLastName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setFirstName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setScore(aScanner.nextDouble());
    				total += student.getScore();
    				studentsArray[count] = student;	
    				count++;
    				
    			} // end while
    			} //end try
    			 
    			 catch ( Exception e ) 
    			   {
    			    System.out.println( "File Not Found!" );
    			   }//end catch
  
    			 average = total / count;
    			 fail = (average-10);
    			
    			 System.out.println ("Welcome to the Student Scores Application." + "\n");
    			 System.out.print ("Students Before Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();
    			 
    			 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
    			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
    				
    			 }
    			 System.out.println("\nAverage: \t" + average + "\n");
    			 
    			 System.out.print ("Students After Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();;
    			 
    		for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 
			  
    		for(int counter=i+1;counter<count;counter++)
			 {		
    			if(studentsArray[counter].compareTo(studentsArray[i]) < 0) 
    		     {
    		      Student tempStudent = studentsArray[i];
    		      studentsArray[i] = studentsArray[counter];
    		      studentsArray[counter] = tempStudent;
    		     }
			 }}
    		 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
			
			 }  
    		}
} // end CH10PR02


// student Class
class Student implements Comparable<Student> 
{
	private String lastName;
    private String firstName;
    private double score;
    private double average;
    private double fail;

    public Student() {
    	lastName = "";
    	firstName = "";
    	score = 0.0; 
    	average = 0.0;
    	fail = 0.0;}
    
    
    	
    public String getLastName() {
		return lastName;
	}

	public void setLastName(String lastName) {
		this.lastName = lastName;
	}

	public String getFirstName() {
		return firstName;
	}

	public void setFirstName(String firstName) {
		this.firstName = firstName;
	}

	public double getScore() {
		return score;
		
	}

	public void setScore(double score) {
		this.score = score;
	}

	
	public double getAverage() {
		return average;
		
	}

	public void setAverage(double average) {
		this.average = average;
	}
	
	public int compareTo(Student student2) {
		if(student2.lastName.equals(lastName)){
		    return firstName.compareTo(student2.firstName);
		}else{
		    return lastName.compareTo(student2.lastName);
		}
	}

	
	public String toString() {
		String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score; {
		return message;
		if(score <= fail){
		System.out.println("Your score is not acceptable!"); 
		} 
			
		}
			
		}}

Everything works the way it sould EXCEPT I've got something wrong in the last part. The public StringtoString. It's my IF statement I am sure, I know the other part is fine. What I am trying to do is get it to say your score is not acceptable if the persons score is 10 below the average or more. Any help would be appreciated. I'm really new at this. Thanks

[lizz Palmer]

The error on the if line at the bottom says unreachable code.

[Koen Aerts]

You cannot unconditionally return from a method, and still have statements AFTER the "return":

return message; 
if(score <= fail){ ...

[lizz Palmer]

What would be a better way of saying what I am trying to. I need it to return the string info first then say your grade is below but if I put the return message after the if statement it doesnt work either.

[Koen Aerts]

At what point do you want to show the "not acceptable" message; each time after you call the toString() method I assume? You either move the "return" down so it's the last instruction in the toString() method, or you create a new method that just displays the "not acceptable" line.

[lizz Palmer]

If I change it like this:

public String toString() {
String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score; {
if(score <= fail){
System.out.println("Your score is not acceptable!");
return message;}
}

}}

it tells me that I have multiple markers on the to String line; that it overrides the java toSring language and that this method must return the result of a string. I want it to display that special message only when the person's score is 10 marks or more lower than the class average.

[Koen Aerts]

Why can't you append the "not acceptable" string to the one you're returning; for instance:

String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score;
if (score <= fail) {
    message += "\nYour score is not acceptable!";
}
return message;

[lizz Palmer]

ok I did that and here is my code again. The only problem is that it isn't displaying the message. I must be missing something?

package chapt10;

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.io.*;

// class CH10PR2

public class CH10PR02{

    		public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

    			Student [] studentsArray = new Student[99];
    			int count = 0;
    			int total = 0;
    			double average = 0.0;
    			double score = 0.0;
    			double fail = 0.0;
    			
    			 try {
    			Scanner aScanner = new Scanner(new FileReader(
    					"src//chapt10//Students.txt"));
    			
    			while (aScanner.hasNext()){
    				Student student = new Student();
    				student.setLastName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setFirstName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setScore(aScanner.nextDouble());
    				total += student.getScore();
    				studentsArray[count] = student;	
    				count++;
    				
    			} // end while
    			} //end try
    			 
    			 catch ( Exception e ) 
    			   {
    			    System.out.println( "File Not Found!" );
    			   }//end catch
  
    			 average = total / count;
    			 fail = (average-10);
    			
    			 System.out.println ("Welcome to the Student Scores Application." + "\n");
    			 System.out.print ("Students Before Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();
    			 
    			 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
    			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
    				
    			 }
    			 System.out.println("\nAverage: \t" + average + "\n");
    			 
    			 System.out.print ("Students After Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();;
    			 
    		for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 
			  
    		for(int counter=i+1;counter<count;counter++)
			 {		
    			if(studentsArray[counter].compareTo(studentsArray[i]) < 0) 
    		     {
    		      Student tempStudent = studentsArray[i];
    		      studentsArray[i] = studentsArray[counter];
    		      studentsArray[counter] = tempStudent;
    		     }
			 }}
    		 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
			
			 }  
    		}
} // end CH10PR02


// student Class
class Student implements Comparable<Student> 
{
	private String lastName;
    private String firstName;
    private double score;
    private double average;
    private double fail;

    public Student() {
    	lastName = "";
    	firstName = "";
    	score = 0.0; 
    	average = 0.0;
    	fail = 0.0;}
    
    
    	
    public String getLastName() {
		return lastName;
	}

	public void setLastName(String lastName) {
		this.lastName = lastName;
	}

	public String getFirstName() {
		return firstName;
	}

	public void setFirstName(String firstName) {
		this.firstName = firstName;
	}

	public double getScore() {
		return score;
		
	}

	public void setScore(double score) {
		this.score = score;
	}

	
	public double getAverage() {
		return average;
		
	}

	public void setAverage(double average) {
		this.average = average;
	}
	
	public int compareTo(Student student2) {
		if(student2.lastName.equals(lastName)){
		    return firstName.compareTo(student2.firstName);
		}else{
		    return lastName.compareTo(student2.lastName);
		}
	}

	
	public String toString() { 
		String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score;   
		if (score <= fail) {   
		    message += "\nYour score is not acceptable!";   
		}   
		return message;  

		}}

[lizz Palmer]

This is my output and I think that Brenda and Ali should get the message:

Welcome to the Student Scores Application.

Students Before Sorting

Gator, Ali: 85.0
Vator, Ella: 75.0
Beam, James: 95.0
Class, Lastin: 55.0
Class, Brenda: 12.0

Average: 64.0

Students After Sorting

Beam, James: 95.0
Class, Brenda: 12.0
Class, Lastin: 55.0
Gator, Ali: 85.0
Vator, Ella: 75.0

[Henry Wong]

You don't have a setter for the fail variable in your Student class -- so a student can only fail if the score is less than zero.

Henry

[Koen Aerts]

If you also include the value of "fail" in the message, you can see what its value is each time toString() is called. Perhaps it's not having the values you think it should have:

String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score + "\t" + fail; 

[lizz Palmer]

I changed it like you said so I now have:

package chapt10;

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.io.*;

// class CH10PR2

public class CH10PR02{

    		public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

    			Student [] studentsArray = new Student[99];
    			int count = 0;
    			int total = 0;
    			double average = 0.0;
    			double score = 0.0;
    			double fail = 0.0;
    			
    			 try {
    			Scanner aScanner = new Scanner(new FileReader(
    					"src//chapt10//Students.txt"));
    			
    			while (aScanner.hasNext()){
    				Student student = new Student();
    				student.setLastName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setFirstName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setScore(aScanner.nextDouble());
    				total += student.getScore();
    				studentsArray[count] = student;	
    				count++;
    				
    			} // end while
    			} //end try
    			 
    			 catch ( Exception e ) 
    			   {
    			    System.out.println( "File Not Found!" );
    			   }//end catch
  
    			 average = total / count;
    			 fail = (average-10.0);
    			
    			 System.out.println ("Welcome to the Student Scores Application." + "\n");
    			 System.out.print ("Students Before Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();
    			 
    			 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
    			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
    				
    			 }
    			 System.out.println("\nAverage: \t" + average + "\n");
    			 
    			 System.out.print ("Students After Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();;
    			 
    		for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 
			  
    		for(int counter=i+1;counter<count;counter++)
			 {		
    			if(studentsArray[counter].compareTo(studentsArray[i]) < 0) 
    		     {
    		      Student tempStudent = studentsArray[i];
    		      studentsArray[i] = studentsArray[counter];
    		      studentsArray[counter] = tempStudent;
    		     }
			 }}
    		 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
			
			 }  
    		}
} // end CH10PR02


// student Class
class Student implements Comparable<Student> 
{
	private String lastName;
    private String firstName;
    private double score;
    private double average;
    private double fail;

    public Student() {
    	lastName = "";
    	firstName = "";
    	score = 0.0; 
    	average = 0.0;
    	fail = 0.0;}
    
    
  
    public String getLastName() {
		return lastName;
	}

	public void setLastName(String lastName) {
		this.lastName = lastName;
	}

	public String getFirstName() {
		return firstName;
	}

	public void setFirstName(String firstName) {
		this.firstName = firstName;
	}

	public double getScore() {
		return score;
		
	}

	public void setScore(double score) {
		this.score = score;
	}

	
	public double getAverage() {
		return average;
		
	}

	public void setAverage(double average) {
		this.average = average;
	}
	
	public double getFail() {
		return fail;
		
	}

	public void setFail(double fail) {
		this.fail = fail;
	}
	
	
	public int compareTo(Student student2) {
		if(student2.lastName.equals(lastName)){
		    return firstName.compareTo(student2.firstName);
		}else{
		    return lastName.compareTo(student2.lastName);
		}
	}

	
	public String toString() { 
		String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score;
		if (score <= fail) {   
		    message += "\nYour score is not acceptable!";   
		}   
		return message;  

		}}

I had added the + fail on the string message and it messed up the output making the numbers 12.00.0 so I took that back out. The output still does not display the special message. here's my current output:

Welcome to the Student Scores Application.

Students Before Sorting

Gator, Ali: 85.0
Vator, Ella: 75.0
Beam, James: 95.0
Class, Lastin: 55.0
Class, Brenda: 12.0

Average: 64.0

Students After Sorting

Beam, James: 95.0
Class, Brenda: 12.0
Class, Lastin: 55.0
Gator, Ali: 85.0
Vator, Ella: 75.0

[Henry Wong]

You don't actually use the setter for the fail variable in your Student class -- so a student can only fail if the score is less than zero.

Henry

[lizz Palmer]

I'm sorry but I dont know what you mean and I don't know how to fix it.

[Rob Spoor]

Lizz, can you please UseCodeTags next time? Thanks.

[lizz Palmer]

ok I will try we have not been taught to do that. I still don't know what's missing in my code.

[lizz Palmer]

I know that it's the math part that isnt working. I added the "fail" to my string message just to see what it would display and it displays zeros for all of them. But i'm not sure what I have wrong!

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:I know that it's the math part that isnt working. I added the "fail" to my string message just to see what it would display and it displays zeros for all of them. But i'm not sure what I have wrong!

Nope. It is not the math. That would imply that you are setting it incorrectly.... You are never setting the fail variable of the student class at all.

Henry

[lizz Palmer]

Isn't this setting the fail?:

public double getFail() {
return fail;

}

public void setFail(double fail) {
this.fail = fail;

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:Isn't this setting the fail?:

public double getFail() {
return fail;

}

public void setFail(double fail) {
this.fail = fail;

From my previous post....

Henry Wong wrote:You don't actually use the setter for the fail variable in your Student class -- so a student can only fail if the score is less than zero.

For the fail variable to be set, you actually have to call the setter (the setFail() method that you provided) -- and you never call the setter anywhere in your program.

Henry

[lizz Palmer]

Henry, this is my very very first java class and now my last because its so unbelievably had to comprehend. I don't know what you mean when you tell me I'm not using it. It's right there?!? it would be wonderful if you could give me a hint of some sort that I might understand. I have this project, one more and then my rediculous final. They told me I didn't need to know anything to take this course and obviously that's not true lol. The instructor doesn't answer my questions and it's an online class. I have just this forum to squeek by. It's destroying my perfect GPA hence why I am changing back to my MBA degree lol. Any hints you can give me would be very very appreciated. Lizz

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:Henry, this is my very very first java class and now my last because its so unbelievably had to comprehend. I don't know what you mean when you tell me I'm not using it. It's right there?!? it would be wonderful if you could give me a hint of some sort that I might understand. I have this project, one more and then my rediculous final. They told me I didn't need to know anything to take this course and obviously that's not true lol. The instructor doesn't answer my questions and it's an online class. I have just this forum to squeek by. It's destroying my perfect GPA hence why I am changing back to my MBA degree lol. Any hints you can give me would be very very appreciated. Lizz

Quit frankly. I am at a loss -- out of ideas on how to explain it..... hmmmm.... how about like this? Let's try to do a comparison to something that is working....


Here is the Student class toString() method that uses the fail variable....

	public String toString() { 
		String message = lastName + "," + " " + firstName + ":\t" + score;
		if (score <= fail) {   
		    message += "\nYour score is not acceptable!";   
		}   
		return message;  
	}

But this time, let's not just look at fail, let's look at the score variable too. Notice that it uses the score variable -- to print the score, and to compare it to the fail variable.

Now, how is this score variable set? .... to see that let's look at the setters (and getters) for the score variable....

	public double getScore() {
		return score;
		
	}

	public void setScore(double score) {
		this.score = score;
	}
	
	public double getFail() {
		return fail;	
	}

	public void setFail(double fail) {
		this.fail = fail;
	}

Pretty straight forward at this point. There is a setter (in the student class) to set the score variable. And up to this point, I think you are okay with it.... (note: the setters for the fail variable has also been included for comparison purposes).


So how are this setters used? To understand that let's look at the main code -- the code that does the work....

    		public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

    			Student [] studentsArray = new Student[99];
    			int count = 0;
    			int total = 0;
    			double average = 0.0;
    			double score = 0.0;
    			double fail = 0.0;
    			
    			 try {
    			Scanner aScanner = new Scanner(new FileReader(
    					"src//chapt10//Students.txt"));
    			
    			while (aScanner.hasNext()){
    				Student student = new Student();
    				student.setLastName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setFirstName(aScanner.next());
    				student.setScore(aScanner.nextDouble());
    				total += student.getScore();
    				studentsArray[count] = student;	
    				count++;
    				
    			} // end while
    			} //end try
    			 
    			 catch ( Exception e ) 
    			   {
    			    System.out.println( "File Not Found!" );
    			   }//end catch
  
    			 average = total / count;
    			 fail = (average-10.0);
    			
    			 System.out.println ("Welcome to the Student Scores Application." + "\n");
    			 System.out.print ("Students Before Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();
    			 
    			 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
    			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
    				
    			 }
    			 System.out.println("\nAverage: \t" + average + "\n");
    			 
    			 System.out.print ("Students After Sorting" + "\n");
    			 System.out.println();;
    			 
    		for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 
			  
    		for(int counter=i+1;counter<count;counter++)
			 {		
    			if(studentsArray[counter].compareTo(studentsArray[i]) < 0) 
    		     {
    		      Student tempStudent = studentsArray[i];
    		      studentsArray[i] = studentsArray[counter];
    		      studentsArray[counter] = tempStudent;
    		     }
			 }}
    		 for(int i=0;i<count;i++)
			 {		 System.out.println(studentsArray[i].toString());
			
			 }  

If you take a look at line 18, you will see that this is where each Student instance's score setter is called -- which of course, sets the score for that student. There is also a place where the getter is called later, which is used to calculate the total and average. Pretty straightforward usage of the Student instances.

And here is where the difference occurs...

Now, if you look at this code, you will also notice that ... nowhere in the code is the student class setter for the fail variable ever called. So, the student objects never has the fail variable ever set. Unlike the score, the fail information never gets to the student object (via its setter), which means that it is not available to the toString() method.

As an aside, if you look at line 32, you will see that a fail variable is being set -- but this is not the fail variable of the student class. This is a local fail variable of the main class, which has been declared at line 8.

Henry

[Campbell Ritchie]

Should the fail field be part of the student class at all? If it should, surely it is the same for all students and ought to be static. Anyway, it ought to be initialised in a static initialiser (or in the constructor). And then the get and set methods should be static, too.

[dennis deems]

Campbell Ritchie wrote:Should the fail field be part of the student class at all? If it should, surely it is the same for all students and ought to be static. Anyway, it ought to be initialised in a static initialiser (or in the constructor). And then the get and set methods should be static, too.

I think it should be public static final without a getter or setter. Edit: except doing that prevents grading on a curve if you ever want to, so it's probably better to keep that option available.

[lizz Palmer]

Henry - Ok I think I get it a little better but when i put it in the while loop, it doesn't make a difference in the output.

while (aScanner.hasNext()){
Student student = new Student();
student.setLastName(aScanner.next());
student.setFirstName(aScanner.next());
student.setScore(aScanner.nextDouble());
student.setFail(fail);
total += student.getScore();
studentsArray[count] = student;
count++;

I'm assuming I would do it like that because I'm not calling it from the scanner document, it's just from the student class. ? Any suggestions what I am doing wrong?

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:Henry - Ok I think I get it a little better but when i put it in the while loop, it doesn't make a difference in the output.

while (aScanner.hasNext()){
Student student = new Student();
student.setLastName(aScanner.next());
student.setFirstName(aScanner.next());
student.setScore(aScanner.nextDouble());
student.setFail(fail);
total += student.getScore();
studentsArray[count] = student;
count++;

I'm assuming I would do it like that because I'm not calling it from the scanner document, it's just from the student class. ? Any suggestions what I am doing wrong?

When this change, let's go back to one of your previous posts....

lizz Palmer wrote:I know that it's the math part that isnt working. I added the "fail" to my string message just to see what it would display and it displays zeros for all of them. But i'm not sure what I have wrong!

Yup. It's the math. At the point that the variable is being set, the fail value hasn't been calculated yet.

Henry

[lizz Palmer]

I tried moving the calculation for the fail class above the scanner but it just doesn't run that way.

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:I tried moving the calculation for the fail class above the scanner but it just doesn't run that way.

Yup, that's correct. This is not something that you can fix by moving code around, nor can it be fixed by adding a line somewhere (actually, you can ... ) ..... Regardless, you really need to stop what you are doing, go back a few steps, and work this out with pen and paper first.

Henry

[lizz Palmer]

It's my value of fail, correct? It ends up with a value of zero for every student. That's not right. I can't seem to see what's wrong with it but I'm assuming it's in there somewhere.

[lizz Palmer]

I really dont know what line I would be adding where lol. I looked at the values of fail and I think they say what I want so im lost.

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:I really dont know what line I would be adding where lol. I looked at the values of fail and I think they say what I want so im lost.

As mentioned, I recommend that you go back to pen and paper. You really need to understand (or figure out) what your program is doing. Fixing something by trail and error is really not an efficient technique.

Henry

[lizz Palmer]

I've been trying what you said and doing it out on paper all day and I'm not further ahead.

[Henry Wong]

lizz Palmer wrote:I've been trying what you said and doing it out on paper all day and I'm not further ahead.

Some possible things to work out on paper. The flow of the program -- what it does, in what order, and when it does it. And when you do this, try to get as much detail as possible. The data structures -- how they are accessed, how they are processed, and even how they are connected.

Now... having said that... When I ask at what point is the fail variable completely calculated? you should know -- based on what you work out on paper. If you don't know, go back and add details to your flow diagrams.... When I ask at what point is the student object printed to the screen? You should know -- same reason. And of course, given this information, you should be able to conclude that the fail variable should be set *after* the calculation has completed, but *before* the student instances are printed. You now have the possible locations where you can make the change.

As for the best location, take a look at how to change it, depending on how the data is organized -- based on what you worked out on paper. If you don't, go back and add details about your data structures diagrams. From the diagrams, particularly how they are accessed, you should be able to find the best point. Heck, you may even conclude (as some other ranchers already hinted) that putting the fail variable in the student class is not ideal -- and be able to find a better way to print the output.

Good luck,
Henry