Multiple String input lengths in Java

Question

I'm writing a program about musical chords. I want the user to input A-G or a-g, but it can also be # or - (flat), and also m (minor). It's running, but if you put in a#m, you get

Enter a musical piano chord name: A

I need it to keep reading the if statements so that if the input is 3 characters, I can delineate what that char should be.

I haven't added the section on sharps and flats yet.

import java.util.Scanner;
public class Hwk9 {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String chord;
    Scanner stdin = new Scanner(System.in);
    System.out.println("Enter a musical piano chord name: ");
    chord = stdin.nextLine();
    String finalChord = validChord(chord);

    System.out.println(finalChord);
  }

   public static String validChord(String input) {
     if (input.length() > 3 && input.length() < 1) {
       input = "Invalid chord";
    }

    char note = input.charAt(0);
    char capNote = chordCapitalize(note);

    if (capNote == 'A') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else if (capNote == 'B') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else if (capNote == 'C') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else if (capNote == 'D') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else if (capNote == 'E') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else if (capNote == 'F') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else if (capNote == 'G') {
      input = capNote + "";
    }
    else {
      input = "Invalid chord";
    }

    if (input.length() == 3) {    *<<<<<<This section is not going through*
      char minor = input.charAt(2);
        if (minor == 'm') {
          input = capNote + "" + minor;
        }
        else {
          input = "Invalid chord";
        }
    }

    return input;
  }

  public static char chordCapitalize(char input) {
    String note = input + "";
    String caps = note.toUpperCase();
    char capNote = caps.charAt(0);
    return capNote;
  }
}

You're either assigning input to the uppercased version of the first letter, in which case length is 1, or making it Invalid Chord, in which case the length is more than 3. — Evan Knowles
– Evan Knowles, Commented Apr 9, 2018 at 6:42

Thiyagu · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-09 06:41:56Z

1

The problem is you are assigning the capitalized chord back to input in the if blocks. You need to have a local variable for that and not re-assign it to input

If you assign input the value of capNote, length of input will always be one.

String result;
if (capNote == 'A') {
  result = capNote + "";
}
else if (capNote == 'B') {
  result = capNote + "";
}
//Rest of code

if (input.length() == 3) { 
  char minor = input.charAt(2);
    if (minor == 'm') {
      result = capNote + "" + minor;
    }
    else {
      result = "Invalid chord";
    }
}
return result;

answered Apr 9, 2018 at 6:41

Thiyagu

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1 Comment

David Over a year ago

Thank you! The local variable is exactly what I was missing.

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