Scanner class: next() function

[User Kunal]

Is it that, when we give an input THEN the next() function is called,
OR the next() function is called first for us to give the input?

[praveen kumaar]

Well like other methods in java, next() will be called when the control reaches the line where it is invoked. input may or may not be present prior to invoking the next(). And as per docs, the call to this method may block for scanning the input. Generally for files, the method doesn't seems like blocking and in the case of standard input(from terminal) the scanner blocks the call waiting for the input.

[User Kunal]

Well, actually my confusion lies in the following piece of code:
   
   import java.util.Scanner;
   class A
   {
   public static void main(String args[])
   {
    Scanner sc=new Scanner(System.in);
   
    System.out.println("Enter the first number: ");
    int a=sc.nextInt();
    System.out.println("Enter the second number: ");
    int b=sc.nextInt();
     
    System.out.println(a);
    System.out.println(b);
    }
    }

When the first message "Enter the first number" is displayed, and then if I input both the values for a and b at once, on the same line
and then press ENTER, both are read. But after second message "
Enter the second number" is dispalyed, it does not take anymore input and directly prints the values of a and b,  although there is a call to the next() function after the second message.

This is what I can't get, why is the next()  function not called a second time?

[Campbell Ritchie]

Welcome to the Ranch

Please be specific when asking questions. You are not calling next() at all, but nextInt(), but don't worry; the explanation is the same for both.
You are printing a prompt and entering something at the terminal. Then you are calling nextInt(). Let's imagine that you are entering “123 456”. The input is only available to the terminal when you push the enter key. Right: that is two ints, and you call nextInt(), which reads 123. Then control passes to the second print instruction: that tells you to enter the second number. But you have already entered 456, so the second nextInt() call can run immediately; it already has its input 456. It is not a case of blocking waiting for the next input, but a sort of opposite. The input is already there, so the nextInt() call can run immediately. The same applies to all nextXXX() methods except nextLine() which behaves differently. Be sure to read the documentation comments before you use nextLine(); most of the books I have see explain nextLine() wrongly.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Your first nextInt() call only reads half the line you wrote; the remainder of the line is available immediately for the second nextInt() call.

[User Kunal]

Ohh now I get it, 😲  This made me keep scratching my head for two days, haha, now I'm clear about it. Thank you so much! 😃

[User Kunal]

Oh I have another doubt. Can you please answer my very first post?

[praveen kumaar]

User Kunal wrote:Oh I have another doubt. Can you please answer my very first post?

Campbell has all ready given very clear explanation for your 1st post which is indeed, the very first post of this thread. In case, if it's something else, go and start a separate thread. You should take a look at How to ask questions on Java Ranch, as the way you ask to answer the question is not a good example for asking questions here.

[Salil Wadnerkar]

To answer your first question, scanner.nextXXX() methods are blocking, and they wait for user input.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Salil Wadnerkar wrote:. . . scanner.nextXXX() methods are blocking . . . wait for user input.

That isn't relevant here; there is no blocking nor waiting because the next input is already available.

PK: Thank you for finding my explanation clear.

[Dave Tolls]

Campbell Ritchie wrote:

Salil Wadnerkar wrote:. . . scanner.nextXXX() methods are blocking . . . wait for user input.

That isn't relevant here; there is no blocking nor waiting because the next input is already available.

I'd say that was relevant to the original question, which was asking, essentially, how nextXXX worked with input from the command line.  Does nextXXX get called after input arrives, or before.

The answer is, as Salil says, nextInt() gets called and will then wait for input to be available if it isn't available already.

In the actual example, this is what happens with the first call to nextInt, and for the second call there is no waiting as there is already a token in the buffer (as you say in your answer).

Essentially we have two, realted, questions here.

[Campbell Ritchie]

In which case, I am sorry for any mistakes.