Reading multiple strings in java

Question

I have to read strings from the user based on a number n and store n strings in n different variables. I'm stuck with how to put them into different strings. Please help me out.

This is my code:

public static void main(String[] args) {
      int b;
      String s="";

      Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);

      System.out.println("Enter verifying number: ");
      b = in.nextInt();

      for (int i=0; i<=b; i++) {

          System.out.println("Enter a string: ");
          s = in.nextLine();
      }

So if b = 5, i have to input 5 strings from the user and store them in 5 different string variables. I'm able to take it from the user but not able to assign them into different variables. Can u please help me out? Thanks.

I would recommend reading about Java data-structures. Maybe you could make use of the ArrayList — Josh Engelsma
– Josh Engelsma, Commented Jan 10, 2015 at 16:14
@JoshEngelsma use List<String> and initialize it as ArrayList<String> rather than directly using ArrayList. — Luiggi Mendoza
– Luiggi Mendoza, Commented Jan 10, 2015 at 16:15

Luiggi Mendoza · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-10 16:28:43Z

6

If you know exactly the number of input then use an Array, if not use a ArrayList

With Arrays

  String []inpupts = new String[b];
  for (int i=0; i< b; i++) {
      System.out.println("Enter a string: ");
      inputs[i] = in.nextLine();
  }

With ArrayList

  List<String> inpupts = new ArrayList<String>();
  for (int i=0; i< b; i++) {
      System.out.println("Enter a string: ");
      inputs.add(in.nextLine());
  }

edited Jan 10, 2015 at 16:28

Luiggi Mendoza

85.9k16 gold badges160 silver badges354 bronze badges

answered Jan 10, 2015 at 16:21

Thusitha Thilina Dayaratne

5,7204 gold badges45 silver badges71 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Pshemo Over a year ago

I updated your answer a little to correct <= problem (there shouldn't be =). I also renamed b to size which seems more descriptive but that is subjective matter so feel free to edit it back to names used in OP code (OK nvm Luiggi took care of it :D).

Ghos3t Over a year ago

Shouldn't it be "in.next()" instead of "in.nextLine();", because nextLine() moves the scanner position to the next line and returns the value as a string, so "Enter a string: " gets printed twice before user can give his input and so only 1 input is taken.

ha9u63a7 · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-10 16:26:49Z

3

From your code (<= b) I am assuming you just started learning Java. Therefore, I edited your solution and am proposing the following, if this is okay?

public static void main(String[] args) {
      int b;


      Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);

      System.out.println("Enter verifying number: ");
      b = in.nextInt();
      //necessary to do due to Enter key pressed by user
      in.nextLine();
      String s[] = new String[b];
      for (int i=0; i<b; i++) {

          System.out.println("Enter a string: ");
          s[i] = in.nextLine();

          // You can check at the same time if this is what you entered
          System.out.println("I have received this sring:  "+s[i]+"\n");
      }

edited Jan 10, 2015 at 16:26

answered Jan 10, 2015 at 16:16

ha9u63a7

6,96819 gold badges88 silver badges128 bronze badges

Comments

SMA · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-10 16:31:56Z

2

Create an array and store it in an array like below:

String s[] = new String[b];//use b+1 if you need b+1 entries
for (int i=0; i<b; i++) {//use <=b is you need b+1 entries
      System.out.println("Enter a string: ");
      s[i] = in.nextLine();
}

You can then access your values as:

for (int i=0; i<b; i++) //use <=b is you need b+1 entries
      System.out.println("Entered string was : " + s[i]);
}

edited Jan 10, 2015 at 16:31

answered Jan 10, 2015 at 16:15

SMA

37.2k8 gold badges53 silver badges76 bronze badges

7 Comments

Luiggi Mendoza Over a year ago

Why new String[b+1] and not new String[b]?

SMA Over a year ago

See OP's for loop, he takes values from user starting at 0 till b. Hence b+1.

Luiggi Mendoza Over a year ago

That means OP's for loop is wrong due to Scanner.nextInt requiring a call to Scanner#nextLine to consume the Enter pressed by user.

SMA Over a year ago

Hmm may be or may be not.. May be OP himself can figure that out which is being not clear here.

SMA Over a year ago

Hope @LuiggiMendoza it makes sense now.

|

Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 09:12:55Z

0

Solution :

You can use something like this.

You can change your code as :

public static void main(String[] args) {
      int b;
      String s="";

      Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);

      System.out.println("Enter verifying number: ");
      b = in.nextInt();
      in.nextLine(); // To get a new line

      for (int i=0; i<b; i++) {

          System.out.println("Enter a string: ");
          s = in.nextLine();
      }

edited Jun 20, 2020 at 9:12

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Sep 11, 2018 at 11:23

Sam

11 bronze badge

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Reading multiple strings in java

4 Answers 4

2 Comments

Comments

7 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

2 Comments

Comments

7 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related