Thread: Java hangman game help...

Hello everyone, I am new to Java and working on a hangman game for class(the program final is due Friday!!!) and to be honest, I am completely stuck.

I am supposed to write the code which interacts with a hangman gui, a clue file which constructs and initializes two clue objects, and a gallows file but those three are completed. I am stuck on the hangman file itself(the actual game portion). I am completely stuck! Any help, and I do mean any help would be greatly appreciated, maybe just a point in the correct direction(I can't even get it to compile!) Thanks so much!

Here is my code so far:

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
 
public class Hangman {
 
public Clue[] clues;
public int index;
public String visibleGuess;
public int incorrectGuesses;
 
public int corrGuess;
public String currClue;
 
public Hangman(){
	index = 0;
	clues = new Clue[125];
 
	try{
		File f = new File("clues.txt");
		Scanner input = new Scanner(f);
 
 
		while(input.hasNextLine()){
			clues[index] = input.next();
			Scanner scan1 = new Scanner(input);
			Scanner scan2 = new Scanner(input);
			scan1.useDelimiter(":");
			scan2.useDelimiter(":");
 
			currClue = scan1.next();
			visibleGuess = scan2.next();
 
			index++;
		}
		}
	catch(IOException e){
		System.out.println("File does not exist." + e);
	}
	visibleGuess = "";
}
 
public void newGame(){
	incorrectGuesses = 0;
	Random rand = new Random();
	index = rand.nextInt(125);
 
	generateClue();
}
 
private void generateClue(){
 
	clues[index] = visibleGuess;
	for(int i =0; i<visibleGuess.length(); i++){ 
		visibleGuess = visibleGuess + "_";
	}
 
}
 
public boolean guess(String c){
 
	for(int j = 0; j <visibleGuess.length(); j++){
		if(c == visibleGuess){
			corrGuess++;
			return true;
		}else{
			incorrectGuesses++;
			return false;
}}
}
 
public boolean isGameOver(){
	if(incorrectGuesses >= 6){
		 return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public boolean isComplete(){
	if(visibleGuess.length() == corrGuess){
		return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public String getVisiblePhrase(){
	return visibleGuess;
}
 
public String getCategory(){
	return currClue;
}
}

Sorry, when I try to compile the while loop in the try block I keep getting the error "cannot find symbol
symbol : constructor Scanner(java.util.Scanner)" and I also keep getting the error "incompatible types
found : java.lang.String required: Clue clues[index] = input.next()" for the clues array. I can't find why this keeps happening.

I have a sinking suspicion that I may have taken a wrong turn somewhere though :/ but I honestly have no idea where or what I am doing wrong, this all looks like it should work to me lol.

I didn't know that! Thank you. Do you have any idea why I keep getting the incompatible types error? I swear I have been searching for hours and tweaking the code but nothing seems to be working...

Okay, so I have worked on it and changed a few things and am now able to compile but when I run the program I can click on any of the buttons but they all create a part of the body on the hangman, i.e. I can't win lol! Here is what I have so far:

 
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class Hangman {
 
public Clue[] clues;
public int index;
public String visibleGuess;
public int incorrectGuesses;
 
public int corrGuess;
public String currClue;
public String cat;
public String phr;
 
public Hangman(){
	index = 0;
	clues = new Clue[125];
 
	try{
		File f = new File("clues.txt");
		Scanner input = new Scanner(f);
 
 
		while(input.hasNextLine()){
			String text = input.nextLine();
			Scanner scan = new Scanner(text);
			scan.useDelimiter(":");
 
 
 
 
			index++;
		}
		}
	catch(IOException e){
		System.out.println("File does not exist." + e);
	}
	visibleGuess = "";
}
 
public void newGame(){
	incorrectGuesses = 0;
	Random rand = new Random();
	index = rand.nextInt(125);
 
	generateClue();
}
 
private void generateClue(){
 
	for(int i =0; i<visibleGuess.length(); i++){ 
		visibleGuess = visibleGuess + "_";
	}
 
}
 
public boolean guess(String c){
 
	for(int j = 0; j <visibleGuess.length(); j++){
		if(c == visibleGuess){
			corrGuess++;
			return true;
		}else{
			incorrectGuesses++;
 
}}return false;
}
 
public boolean isGameOver(){
	if(incorrectGuesses >= 6){
		 return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public boolean isComplete(){
	if(visibleGuess.length() == corrGuess){
		return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public String getVisiblePhrase(){
	return visibleGuess;
}
 
public String getCategory(){
	return currClue;
}
}

Can anyone point me to the problem at least? I want to fix it myself of course, but I am having the hardest time finding out what to fix! Thanks for all of the help so far!

The thing is we need all the classes you used to aid in your program.

Sorry no problem:

HangmanGUI:

 
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
 
public class HangmanGUI extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{
 
	private JButton[] letters;
	private Hangman model;
	private Gallows gallows;
	private JLabel category;
	private JLabel clue;
	private JButton newGame;
	private JButton quit;
	private Font normal;
	private Font small;
 
	public HangmanGUI()
	{
		setSize(700,600);
		setTitle("CSC116 Hangman");
		setLocation(100,100);
		setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
		model = new Hangman();
		model.newGame();
 
		gallows = new Gallows();
 
		newGame = new JButton("New Game");
		newGame.addActionListener(this);
 
		quit = new JButton("Quit");
		quit.addActionListener(this);
 
		letters = new JButton[26];
 
		int b = 0;
 
		for(int i = 65; i < 91; i++)
		{
			letters[b] = new JButton("" + ((char)i));
			letters[b++].addActionListener(this);
		}
 
		Font f = new Font("Times", 1, 30);
		normal = new Font("Monospaced", 0, 30);
		small = new Font("Monospaced", 0, 15);
		category = new JLabel(model.getCategory(), JLabel.CENTER);
		category.setFont(f);
		clue = new JLabel(model.getVisiblePhrase(), JLabel.CENTER);
		if(model.getVisiblePhrase().length() > 15)
		{
			clue.setFont(small);
		}
		else
		{
			clue.setFont(normal);
		}
		Container c = getContentPane();
 
		c.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
 
		JPanel center = new JPanel();
 
		JPanel n2 = new JPanel();
		n2.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1));
		n2.add(category);
		n2.add(clue);
 
		center.setLayout(new GridLayout(1,2));
		center.add(gallows);
		center.add(n2);
 
		JPanel south = new JPanel();
		south.setLayout(new GridLayout(4,7));
		for(int i = 0; i < 26; i++)
		{
			south.add(letters[i]);
		}
 
 
		south.add(newGame);
		south.add(quit);
 
 
		c.add(center, BorderLayout.CENTER);
		c.add(south, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
 
		setVisible(true);
	}
 
	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	{
		Object o = e.getSource();
 
		for(int i = 0; i < 26; i++)
		{
			if(o == letters[i])
			{
				String guess = letters[i].getText();
				letters[i].setEnabled(false);
				boolean tf = model.guess(guess);
 
				if(!tf)
				{
					gallows.addBodyPart();
					if(model.isGameOver())
					{
						gallows.gameOver(false);
						clue.setText(model.getVisiblePhrase());
						disableButtons();
					}
				}
				else
				{
					clue.setText(model.getVisiblePhrase());
 
					if(model.isComplete())
					{
						gallows.gameOver(true);
						disableButtons();
					}
				}
 
			}
		}
 
		if(o == newGame)
		{
			model.newGame();
			category.setText(model.getCategory());
			clue.setText(model.getVisiblePhrase());
			if(model.getVisiblePhrase().length() > 15)
			{
				clue.setFont(small);
			}
			else
			{
				clue.setFont(normal);
			}
			gallows.reset();
			enableButtons();
		}
 
		if(o == quit)
		{
			System.exit(0);
		}
	}
 
	private void disableButtons()
	{
		for(int i = 0; i < 26; i++)
		{
			letters[i].setEnabled(false);
		}
	}
 
	private void enableButtons()
	{
		for(int i = 0; i < 26; i++)
		{
			letters[i].setEnabled(true);
		}
	}
 
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		new HangmanGUI();
	}
 
}

Gallows:

 
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
 
public class Gallows extends JPanel
{
	private int bodyParts;
	private boolean isGameOver;
	private boolean winOrLose;
 
	public Gallows()
	{
		setSize(200,200);
		setBackground(Color.white);
		bodyParts = 0;
		isGameOver = false;
	}
 
	public void paint(Graphics g)
	{
		super.paint(g);
		// draws gallow itself
		g.drawLine(25, 100, 25, 350);
		g.drawLine(0, 350, 50, 350);
		g.drawLine(25, 100, 125, 100);
		g.drawLine(125, 100, 125, 150);
 
		if(bodyParts > 0)
		{
			g.drawOval(112, 150, 25, 25);
		}
		if(bodyParts > 1)
		{
			g.drawLine(125, 175, 125, 250);
		}
		if(bodyParts > 2)
		{
			g.drawLine(125, 200, 75, 175);
		}
		if(bodyParts > 3)
		{
			g.drawLine(125, 200, 175, 175);
		}
		if(bodyParts > 4)
		{
			g.drawLine(125, 250, 75, 300);
		}
		if(bodyParts > 5)
		{
			g.drawLine(125, 250, 175, 300);
		}
 
		if(isGameOver)
		{
			g.setFont(new Font("Times", 0, 25));
			g.setColor(Color.BLACK);
			if(winOrLose)
			{
				g.drawString("YOU WIN!!!", 75, 95);
			}
			else
			{			
				g.drawString("YOU LOSE!", 78, 95);
			}
		}
	}
 
	public void addBodyPart()
	{
		bodyParts++;
		repaint();
	}
 
	public void reset()
	{
		bodyParts = 0;
		isGameOver = false;
		repaint();
	}
 
	public void gameOver(boolean winner)
	{
		isGameOver = true;
		winOrLose = winner;
		repaint();
	}
}

Clue:

 
public class Clue{
 
/** 
 *This class will have two private String variables, the first is the category of the clue, 
 *and the second is the phrase.
 *
 */
 
private String category;
private String phrase;
 
/**
 *
 *This is the constructor of the class. It accepts two Strings as parameters - the first is the category of the clue, 
 *and the second is the phrase. The constructor must initialize the class's instance variables using the parameter values.
 *
 */
 
public Clue(String cat, String phr){
	category = cat;
	phrase = phr;
}
/**
 *
 *This is a getter method that returns the value of the Category instance variable.
 *
 */
public String getCategory(){
	return category;
}
/**
 *
 *This is a getter method that  returns the value of the phrase instance variable.
 *
 */
public String getPhrase(){
	return phrase;
}
}

and the problem code, my current version of it at least :/

 
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class Hangman {
 
private Clue[] clues;
public int index;
public String visibleGuess;
public int incorrectGuesses;
 
public int corrGuess;
public String currClue;
public String cat;
public String phr;
 
public void Hangman(){
	index = 0;
	clues = new Clue[125];
 
	try{
		File f = new File("clues.txt");
		Scanner input = new Scanner(f);
		input.useDelimiter(":");
 
		while(input.hasNext()){
		cat = input.next();
		phr = input.next();
 
		Clue c = new Clue(cat,phr);
 
   		clues[index] = c;
   		index++;
		}
		}
	catch(IOException e){
		System.out.println("File does not exist." + e);
	}
	visibleGuess = "";
 
}
 
public void newGame(){
	incorrectGuesses = 0;
	Random rand = new Random();
	index = rand.nextInt(125);
 
	generateClue();
}
 
private void generateClue(){
 
for(int i =0; i<visibleGuess.length(); i++){ 
		visibleGuess = visibleGuess + "_";
 
}
}
 
public boolean guess(String c){
 
	for(int j = 0; j <visibleGuess.length(); j++){
		if(c == visibleGuess){
			corrGuess++;
			return true;
		}else{
			incorrectGuesses++;
 
}}return false;
}
 
public boolean isGameOver(){
	if(incorrectGuesses >= 6){
		 return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public boolean isComplete(){
	if(visibleGuess.length() == corrGuess){
		return true;
	}
	return false;
}
 
public String getVisiblePhrase(){
	return visibleGuess;
}
 
public String getCategory(){
return cat;
 
}
}

Now I am getting a NullPointerException and can't figure out what is causing it. I know this must seem rudimentary but I am completely lost! Thank you for the help though

Here is the full description of the error code I keep getting:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
at Hangman.generateClue(Hangman.java:64)
at Hangman.newGame(Hangman.java:59)
at HangmanGUI.<init>(HangmanGUI.java:35)
at HangmanGUI.main(HangmanGUI.java:179)

I changed my generateClue method to use replaceAll() and then set it equal to the visibleGuess but I am still getting this NullPointerException

Can anyone explain that to me or maybe point me(no pun intended) towards some information Thanks!

I think that I understand what you are saying(I found some information about the details as well and it makes much more sense, thank you). I am able to compile the code now but I am running into the same problem I had last evening, when I run the code the GUI comes up and everything seems fine but no matter what I click I still lose. I don't think I am populating the word, here is what I have now:

 
 
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class Hangman {
 
private Clue[] clues;
public int index;
public String visibleGuess = "";
public int incorrectGuesses;
 
public int corrGuess;
public String currClue;
public String cat;
public String phr;
 
public void Hangman(){
	index = 0;
	clues = new Clue[125];
 
	try{
		File f = new File("clues.txt");
		Scanner input = new Scanner(f);
		input.useDelimiter(":");
		input.useDelimiter(" ");
 
		while(input.hasNext()){
 
		Clue c = new Clue(cat,phr);
 
   		clues[index] = c;
 
   		index++;
		}
		}
	catch(IOException e){
		System.out.println("File does not exist." + e);
	}
}
 
public void newGame(){
	incorrectGuesses = 0;
	Random rand = new Random();
	index = rand.nextInt(125);
 
	generateClue();
}
 
private void generateClue(){
 
	phr = visibleGuess.replaceAll("[a-z]", "_");
	visibleGuess = phr;
 
}
 
public boolean guess(String c){
 
	for(int j = 0; j <visibleGuess.length(); j++){
		if(c == visibleGuess){
			corrGuess++;
			return true;
		}else{
			incorrectGuesses++;
 
}}return false;
}
 
public boolean isGameOver(){
	if(incorrectGuesses >= 6){
		 return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public boolean isComplete(){
	if(visibleGuess.length() == corrGuess){
		return true;
	}
	return false;
}
 
public String getVisiblePhrase(){
	return visibleGuess;
}
 
public String getCategory(){
return cat;
 
}
}

It's so difficult to pinpoint a runtime error! Could someone point me to the problem? It's a bit overwhelming at this point...i.e. is it one of my methods? I am assuming the generateClue is at fault but have no idea how to fix it...sigh

Try putting a print statement when you read in the file using a console thing. That is a good way of pinpointing run time errors.

Done and done wen I attempt to call the constructor with this statement(just to check to see the output) I get this:

Clue@ca0b6
Clue@10b30a7
Clue@1a758cb
Clue@1b67f74
Clue@69b332
Clue@173a10f
Clue@530daa
Clue@a62fc3
Clue@89ae9e
Clue@1270b73
Clue@60aeb0
Clue@16caf43
Clue@66848c
Clue@8813f2
Clue@1d58aae
Clue@83cc67
Clue@e09713
Clue@de6f34
Clue@156ee8e
Clue@47b480
Clue@19b49e6
Clue@10d448
Clue@e0e1c6
Clue@6ca1c
.
.
.
etc which I can only assume is the memory location of the file I am trying to read from(there are a total of 125 items in the file) anybody know how to fix this? I am completely unfamiliar with memory storage etc

also at the end it displays this:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException: 125
at Hangman.Hangman(Hangman.java:42)
at Hangman.main(Hangman.java:107)

which also is very confusing....any ideas?

What does the code look like now then?

Are you printing after doing index++ by any chance?

// Json

Here is the code so far:

 
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class Hangman {
 
private Clue[] clues;
public int index;
public String visibleGuess = "";
public int incorrectGuesses;
 
public static int corrGuess;
public static String currClue;
public static String cat;
public static String phr;
 
public void Hangman(){
	index = 0;
	clues = new Clue[126];
 
	try{
		File f = new File("clues.txt");
		Scanner input = new Scanner(f);
		input.useDelimiter(":");
		input.useDelimiter(" ");
 
		while(input.hasNext()){
 
			Clue c = new Clue(cat,phr);
 
   			clues[index] = c;
   			index++;
 
		}
	}
	catch(IOException e){
		System.out.println("File does not exist." + e);
	}
}
 
public void newGame(){
	incorrectGuesses = 0;
 
	Random rand = new Random();
	int x = rand.nextInt(125);
	index = x;
 
	generateClue();
}
 
private void generateClue(){
 
	phr = visibleGuess.replaceAll("[a-z]", "_");
	visibleGuess = phr;
 
}
 
public boolean guess(String c){
 
	for(int j = 0; j <visibleGuess.length(); j++){
		if(c == visibleGuess){
			corrGuess++;
			visibleGuess.replaceAll(c,c);
			return true;
		}else{
			incorrectGuesses++;
 
}}return false;
}
 
public boolean isGameOver(){
	if(incorrectGuesses >= 6){
		 return true;
	}
	else{
		return false;
	}
}
 
public boolean isComplete(){
	if(visibleGuess.length() == corrGuess){
		return true;
	}
	return false;
}
 
public String getVisiblePhrase(){
	return visibleGuess;
}
 
public String getCategory(){
return cat;
 
}
public static void main(String[]args){
	Hangman x = new Hangman();
	x.Hangman();
	System.out.println(x);
 
	System.out.println();
}
}

I tried printing after the index++ earlier but I can't seem to call the Hangman constructor to run at the main because of a non-referenced from static method error. I was trying to at least find the output but I'm having a hard time doing that, of all things! Do you know how I would get around the non-referenced without changing the instance variables to static(which didn't work in my head and didn't work in the compiler either)?

I'm sorry my earlier response was misleading, by "done and done" I was responding to the previous message which asked if I had tried printing. Sorry

Originally Posted by javaprogrgfgertert

This forum is more "content oriented". I hope you didn't join this forum to show off your sig.
I agree, still a lot of tones missing especially in the background & on the waterfalls... I'll make sure to complete a project next time.

I don't understand what you mean. How would I be showing of my sig? I don't even know what that means to be honest...

As for the rest tones waterfalls etc are you sure that you are replying to my posts? I have no idea what you are talking about....