Thread: computeWinnings()

You will have to post the related code to get much help with it. We have no way to know what those methods do. All we can see is you call some methods from a loop and don't like what they do.
Also please try to reserve [code=java] tag for code and something like [quote] and [/quote] for your output.
There is a preview button you can use to be sure your post is well formed before submitting.

jps,

Here are my class declarations:

Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
Random myRandom = new Random();
int randomNumber;
static int strBet = 0;
static int strComputeWinnings = 0;
static int strmult;

My while loop is in the main.
Here is my getPayMultiplier() method:

static int getPayMultiplier(String s1, String s2, String s3)
{
   int cherryCnt = 0;
   if(s1.equals("CHERRIES"))
   {
      return cherryCnt++;
   }
   if(s2.equals("CHERRIES"))
   {
      return cherryCnt++;
   }
   if(s3.equals("CHERRIES"))
   {
      return cherryCnt++;
   }
   if(cherryCnt == 1)
   {
      return 3;
   }
   else if(cherryCnt == 2)
   {
      return 10;
   }
   else if(cherryCnt == 3)
   {
      return 20;
   }
   else
   {
      if(s1.equals(s2) && s1.equals(s3))
      {
         if(s1.equals("BAR"))
         {
            return 35;
         }
         else if(s2.equals("7"))
         {
            return 50;
         }
      }
      return 0;
}

Next you will see my ComputeWinnings() method:

static int ComputeWinnings(int bet, int mult)
{
   String s1 = pull(); String s2 = pull(); String s3 = pull();
   ComputeWinnings = (getBet() * getPayMultiplier(s1, s2, s3));
   return ComputeWinnings(bet, mult);
}

I believe my problems lie somewhere within these two methods. For the "output" see my post of 04/10/2012. If you have any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. If you need more code from my program, please let me know. Thanks again.

Does the method getBet() prompt the user for a dollar amount? ..this method was not included in any of the posts, but seems related to your issue.
Look at the posted while loop:

while (getBet()=!0)//enter an amount
{
   strBet = getBet();//enter an amount again
   String pullOne = pull();
   String pullTwo = pull();
   String pullThree = pull();
   int strMult = getPayMultiplier(pullOne,pullTwo,pullThree);
   int strComputeWinnings = getBet()*mult;//enter an amount again
   int winnings = computeWinnings()
   display(pullOne,pullTwo,pullThree,ComputeWinnings);
}

The only issue may be the fact that you call getBet() repeatedly rather than once and referring to the number later on inside the loop. If this is not the case, I will ask you to post the code again including all of the methods related to the problem. ie getBet() and pull()...

On that note, I would like to post some sample pseudo code:

while (true)
   if(getBet() equals 0
      exit the while loop, 
   otherwise deduct bet amount from player total 'cash'
 
   get a random value for each 'wheel'
   if(any of the possible winning combinations happened)
      pay the highest win amount,
   otherwise player lost this round
 
   display results of the round to the winner
}

Good luck with your game and let us know how it works out.

Hi!

I think the problem lies in statement:

return cherryCnt++;

.
cherryCnt never gets incremented. It will always be 0. If you want to increment it, you must say

return ++cherryCnt;

or

cherryCnt++;
return cherryCnt;

.
Also there is a problem with

if(cherryCnt == 1)

It is a local variable and you set it =0 in the begining. I think it will never be 1.

Norm, I entered my complete program with output, but this forum says that my reply cannot be sent and I must login again and refresh the page. If you leave the page to do this all the data is lost. What is going on?

Hi Norm, here we go again.

import java.util.Scanner;
public class NewFoothill
{
   Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
   Random myRandom = new Random();
   int randomNumber;
   static int strBet = 0;
   static int ComputeWinnings = 0;
   static int mult;
 
   public static void main (String [] args) throws Exception
   {
      while (getBet() != 0)
      {
         strBet = getBet();
         String pullOne = pull();
         String pullTwo = pull();
         String pullThree = pull();
         int mult = getPayMultiplier(pullOne, pullTwo, pullThree);
         int ComputeWinnings = getBet() * mult;
         display(pullOne, pullTwo, pullThree, ComputeWinnings);
      }
      System.out.println("Thanks for playing.");
   }
 
   static int getBet()
   {
      System.out.println("Enter bet:  \n"
                                + "To stop playing, enter 0:  ");
      Scanner userInput;
      userInput = new Scanner(System.in);
      String strBet = userInput.nextLine();
      return Integer.parseInt(strBet);
   }
 
   static String pull()
   {
      double pull = Math.random();
      if(pull < 0.25d)
      {
         return "BAR";
      }
      else if(pull < 0.50d)
      {
         return "7";
      }
      else if(pull < 0.75d)
      {
         return "CHERRIES";
      }
      else
      {
         return "SPACE";
      }
   }
 
   static int getPayMultiplier(Sring s1, String s2, String s3)
   {
      int cherryCnt = 0;
      if(s1.equals("CHERRIES"))
      {
         cherryCnt++;
      }
      if(s2.equals("CHERRIES"))
      {
         cherryCnt++;
      }
      if(s3.equals("CHERRIES"));
      {
         cherryCnt++;
      }
      if((cherryCnt > 0))
      {
         return cherryCnt++;
      }
      if(cherryCnt == 1)
      {
         return 3;
      }
      else if(cherryCnt == 2)
      {
         return 10;
      }
      else if(cherryCnt == 3)
      {
         return 20;
      }
      else
      {
         if(s1.equals(s2) && s1.equals(s3))
         {
            if(s1.equals("BAR"))
            {
               return 35;
            }
            else if(s2.equals("7"))
            {
               return 50;
            }
         }
         return 0;
      }
 
      static int ComputeWinnings(int bet, int mult)
      {
         String s1 = pull(); String s2 = pull(); String s3 = pull();
         ComputeWinnings = (getBet() * getPayMultiplier(s1, s2, s3));
         return ComputeWinnings(bet, mult);
      }
 
      static void display(String s1, String s2, String s3, int winnings)
      {
         System.out.println(s1 + " " + s2 + " " + s3);
         if(winnings == 0)
         {
            System.out.println("Sorry, you lose.");
         }
         else
         {
            System.out.println("You won $" + winnings);
         }
      }
   }

Sample "output."

Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
CHERRIES BAR BAR
You won $100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter o:
100
SPACE 7 BAR
Sorry, you lose.
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
SPACE CHERRIES BAR
You won $100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
100
7 7 7
You won $5000
Enter bet:
To stop playing, enter 0:
0
Thanks for playing!

Norm, the winnings for CHERRIES is not computed correctly. BAR and 7 are computed correctly. Lastly, I need to enter my bet three times before my loop fires up. Those are my problems. I hope you can guide me in the right direction because my kids want to play this slot machine program ASAP with my money of course.

Zaphod_b, thanks for your help. Your insight improved my program. I inserted:

if((cherryCnt > 0)
{
   return cherryCnt++;
}

right after the if stat.(s3.equals("CHERRIES") and it counts my cherry winnings, but not correctly. For example, my bet is $100 and I have 1 cherry it says I have won $100. It should read $300. If I have two or three cherries the program will add $100 for each of those. The BAR and "7" compute correctly. What is the error of my ways?

alexdan, you are right about my cherryCtn. I am working on it. My program counts the cherries now, but the mult does not compute correctly so the winnings that are reported are not correct(for example, bet:100, 1 cherry gives me 100, it should be 300. I posted my complete program on the forum today (09/10/12, Thia time). Have a look.

Any time you are testing code with random, set the seed so you can compare apples to apples. Your favorite search engine will assist in setting the seed if you do not know how.

static int getPayMultiplier(Sring s1, String s2, String s3)

The type declaration for s1 is missing the letter 't'. This method is also missing the final closing curly brace '}'

while(getBet() != 0) {
   strBet = getBet();
   String pullOne = pull();
   String pullTwo = pull();
   String pullThree = pull();
   int mult = getPayMultiplier(pullOne, pullTwo, pullThree);
   int ComputeWinnings = getBet() * mult;

You are still asking the user to enter a bet three times rather than asking once and remembering the user's entry. Assign the returned bet value to a variable and use it over again to correct this problem.

static int ComputeWinnings(int bet, int mult) {
   String s1 = pull();
   String s2 = pull();
   String s3 = pull();

Once you get to the compute winnings method, you ignore the pulls which occurred during game play, and you get a new value for each 'wheel' on the game. Instead you should refer to the values set on the wheel during the play to calculate the payout.

static int ComputeWinnings(int bet, int mult) {
   String s1 = pull();
   String s2 = pull();
   String s3 = pull();
   ComputeWinnings = (getBet() * getPayMultiplier(s1, s2, s3));
   return ComputeWinnings(bet, mult);
	}

How will this method ever end and return a value? The recursive return statement will never allow the first game to end, if it had ever been called, which it is not. Also I want to mention at this point that there are two variables with the same name as this method. This makes the code hard to read and follow. While we are on variable names, strBet sure gives the impression that the variable will be a string, and in the method it is a string. However here again we have two variables with the same name adding to the confusion of the program.



Take these things one step at a time. The first thing I would do is rename those variables and methods so that you can keep track of them. Then start where the program starts and use the variables in place of extra method calls. Try to get the flow moving in a forward direction. Don't rely on your existing printlns for results. Add a println every other line of code if necessary. You can always remove them later on. I sometimes make a method (seen below) just for the speed of use.

void say(String m) {System.out.println(m);}

Then you can just add say("variableName: " + variableName);

Originally Posted by willie lee

Zaphod_b, thanks for your help. Your insight improved my program. I inserted:

if((cherryCnt > 0)
{
   return cherryCnt++;
}

right after the if stat.(s3.equals("CHERRIES") and it counts my cherry winnings, but not correctly.

So, take a lesson: If doing that does the wrong thing, then (wait for it...wait for it...OK, here it is...) don't do that!

Just use your cascade of if(){}else{} statements to return the correct amount. I mean, you don't need a separate test for cherryCnt > 0 in your code. Just go through the same motions that you had in mind in the first place.

Cheers!

Z

Norm, I enter my program with sample output on 09/10/2012. Have you had a chance to look at it and my comments?

Zaphod_b, yes you were correct. I got rid of the sep. test. The mult now works corectly for the amt. of "CHERRIES" shown. However, I still have a problem in that if "CHERRIES" does not appear in the 1st position there should not be any winnings. Hence, if I get the following: "7" "BAR" "CHERRIES" my program computes winnings for 1 cherry. So I need to figure out a way to compute winnings on the following only: "CHERRIES" [not cherries] [any]......"CHERRIES" "CHERRIES" [any]......."CHERRIES" "CHERRIES" "CHERRIES". Again, thanks very much for your kind help.