How to pass a variable in java?

Question

Consider this code:

private static void colourRead(String s) throws IOException {
    FileReader readhandle = new FileReader("C:\\****\\****");
    BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(readhandle);
    String line = null;
    while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
        ColourInput(); //there's an error here
    }

    br.close();
    readhandle.close();
}

private static void ColourInput(String s) {
    char letter;

    String fullWord;
    Scanner kb = new Scanner(System.in);

    System.out.print("Enter whatever: ");

    fullWord = kb.nextLine();
    System.out.println(fullWord);

    for (int i = 0; i < fullWord.length(); i++) {
        letter = fullWord.charAt(i);
        switch (Character.toUpperCase(letter)) {
        case 'A': {
            Blue();
        }
            break;
        }
    }
}

Is it possible for me to carry the

line

variable from the colourRead method, and somehow assign it to the

fullWord

variable in the ColourInput() method?

I'm trying to read a text file, and output certain colours associated to each letter. I don't want to create a new switch statement in the colourRead method because apparently, this is a bad programming practice.

Any help please?

If you're still unsure of what I'm asking I'll re-edit

EDIT: The problem is that after calling the ColourInput(line) method, the Scanner method comes in to work (original code). I don't want to remove my Scanner method, I want it to 'skip' the scanner method, and continue into the for loop and switch statements.

In response to your edit, why do you want it to skip the scanner line instead of just removing the scanner line? If you want different functionality from both method's then see my answer below. It would color the text from the reader and allow you to still use the scanner method as is. — jzworkman
– jzworkman, Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 20:45
I want it to skip the scanner line because I want two different methods to use the switch statements. One method takes the user input (then uses the for loop and switch statements), whilst the other reads off a file (then uses the for loop and switch statements) — Adz
– Adz, Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 21:00
That is what I assumed, you simply need to take that code out and put it in a new method. This new method can then be called from both places(as shown in my example). From what you have said I take it you are fairly new to OOP and should probably read up on methods and code re-use. There are a lot of good books and tutorials online if you do a quick google search. — jzworkman
– jzworkman, Commented Feb 1, 2013 at 15:44

Benjamin Gruenbaum · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-31 20:34:45Z

3

You're not passing the string to your call of ColourInput

Try

ColourInput(line);

It is also worth mentioning that your code that reads the file is not safe, you should try to read the file, catch the IOException and close the file in a finally clause, if your code crashes somewhere in the while loop your file might remain open

answered Jan 31, 2013 at 20:34

Benjamin Gruenbaum

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Comments

jzworkman · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-01 15:41:41Z

1

If I understand correctly you want to be able to repeat the functionality of the ColourInput method with the results of the the ColourRead method.

    private static void colourRead() throws IOException
{
    FileReader readhandle = new FileReader("C:\\****\\****");
    BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(readhandle);
    String line = null;
    while((line = br.readLine()) != null)
    {
      ColourText(line); //there's an error here
    }

    br.close();
    readhandle.close();
}

private static void ColourInput() 
{

  String fullWord;
  Scanner kb = new Scanner(System.in);

  System.out.print("Enter whatever: ");

  fullWord = kb.nextLine();
  System.out.println(fullWord);
  ColourText(fullWord);
}

private static void ColourText(String text)
{

    char letter;
    for (int i = 0; i < text.length(); i++)
    {
      letter = text.charAt(i);
      switch(Character.toUpperCase(letter))
      {
          case 'A':
          {
             Blue();
          }
          break;
      }
}

This would let you color the text whether it is read from the file or input from the keyboard(using the ColourText method to change the color). But as other people have mentioned you should add to the file reading code as well.

Edit: You could also remove the String s variables from the first two methods since they are not being used in the methods anywhere.

edited Feb 1, 2013 at 15:41

answered Jan 31, 2013 at 20:41

jzworkman

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2 Comments

Adz Over a year ago

In the ColourText method, the letter variable isn't recognised.

jzworkman Over a year ago

Sorry that was a copy paste error, you just need to initialize the variable. I have updated my example showing that.

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