Thread: Absolute Beginner Here, should be an easy question for anyone really.

What exactly does it give for error?
Also try using the code taggs.
.code=java]
your code here
./code]

replace the . with [

Fixed the code. Will do that from now on, I plan on being here a lot.

Error:

Exception in thread "main" java.util.InputMisMatchException

Thanks for the tip on the code tags.

Perhaps better than telling you what is wrong, how about helping you figure out what is wrong. Next time you will be better prepared to find and fix. Lets see if I can steer you in a positive direction.

Lets run through the flow of the program:

public static void main {

check

variables declared (however only one initialized)

check

print welcome to the user

check

while (end == false)

variable was initialized to false, so the loop will run
check

deptName = input.next();
//What is stored in the variable deptName at this point? ...are you sure? Try a println(deptName); and verify

if (deptName.toLowerCase().equals("stop"))
				end = true;

While it is legal to do this, I have two complaints. One, if you just always use brackets, you never have to worry about not using them. As in:

if (deptName.toLowerCase().equals("stop")) {
    end = true;
}

What will happen when when you type stop? Will it just stop? Or will it run the next line of code in the while loop? Why does it happen the way it does?
Put another println("Did it stop, or run the next line of code in the loop?"); after end=true; and run it, and type stop...
You will have to fix the typo on a variable name before you can run it and test these things. But give it a shot and post any questions you have.

Edit: I will get to the other complaint on not using brackets in the next run

in the avgsalary while loop inside the loop you spelled avgsalary "avgsalaray"

Hey I am always up for a little guiding!

I am however not sure with what you mean by "check"? Does that mean I should check it? Or like a checklist check?

At the end in the

 System.out.printf( "The name of the department is %s\n ", deptName );

It tells me what the deptName is correctly.

When I type stop I get the error "Exception in thread "main" java.util.InputMismatchException.

Originally Posted by derekxec

in the avgsalary while loop inside the loop you spelled avgsalary "avgsalaray"

lol Yeah, fixed it. Now the loop actually stops enough to let me input the Dept Name now, it would just skip automatically and go to employees.

It runs good except the "stop" part. It displayed "Did it stop?" and then moves to the next line.

Originally Posted by Harrald

..I am however not sure with what you mean by "check"? Does that mean I should check it? Or like a checklist check?...

By check, I just mean we can assume all is well so far, as far as the program advancing to the next place you intended for it to advance to.

Originally Posted by Harrald

lol Yeah, fixed it. Now the loop actually stops enough to let me input the Dept Name now, it would just skip automatically and go to employees.

It runs good except the "stop" part. It displayed "Did it stop?" and then moves to the next line.

Ahh so by changing your boolean to true, your loop continues to execute. The reason why:

When you run a while loop you say, while (thisCondition), then you have your body of the loop, defined by the { and continuing to the corresponding }. The scope of the loop. Even though you changed the value of the variable, the value is not checked until the loop passes the end of its scope and tries to start it again. Only at that point does it realize the variable has changed. So on top of changing the variable you have to break out of the loop if you want to stop immediately. you can use break; to do just that. When a break is encountered, the current loop will exit without trying to continue.

Originally Posted by jps

By check, I just mean we can assume all is well so far, as far as the program advancing to the next place you intended for it to advance to.

Roger. Then I am all good except the stop part. Still working on that.

Good to go!

It works just as designed. Thank you kindly all for the help. I think the core of the problem of it skipping parts was avgSalaray, which I guess was messing with the while loop input.next().

Using break; the program stops and displays the exit message. I spent ridiculous amounts of hours trying to get this to work.

Originally Posted by Harrald

Roger. Then I am all good except the stop part. Still working on that.

Try this:
Replace your if with this:

if (deptName.toLowerCase().equals("stop")) {
	end = true;
	break;
}

and then replace that with this:

if (deptName.toLowerCase().equals("stop")) {
	//end = true;
	break;
}

Originally Posted by Harrald

Good to go!

It works just as designed. Thank you kindly all for the help. I think the core of the problem of it skipping parts was avgSalaray, which I guess was messing with the while loop input.next().

Using break; the program stops and displays the exit message. I spent ridiculous amounts of hours trying to get this to work.

Don't rush off to happy land so fast. You have made progress but there are more things I would like to go over.

Originally Posted by jps

Don't rush off to happy land so fast. You have made progress but there are more things I would like to go over.

lol happy land. You have to remember the first time your VERY basic programs worked and how good that felt.

But please, do continue.

Did you try the two if blocks above in place of the if block you had?

What does that tell you about the boolean variable?

Originally Posted by Harrald

lol happy land. You have to remember the first time your VERY basic programs worked and how good that felt.

But please, do continue.

Yes, I remember. I get that same feeling every time I am able to help someone else understand something. Feels nice

Originally Posted by jps

Did you try the two if blocks above in place of the if block you had?

What does that tell you about the boolean variable?

Works out exactly the same. I was thinking about that too, and wanted to try removing the entire boolean system. Let me try that.

Originally Posted by Harrald

... wanted to try removing the entire boolean system. Let me try that.

Let me know how it works out for you. Then if you don't mind post your revised code so other readers and I can all be on the same page again.

// Thomas Harrald IT215
// Checkpoint Payroll Program Two
 
import java.util.Scanner; //Import Scanner
 
public class PayrollProgramtwo
{
	public static void main( String[] args )
	{
	Scanner input = new Scanner (System.in);
 
	String deptName="null";
	int numberEmployees;
	float avgSalary;
	float totalDept;
 
	System.out.println( "Welcome to the Payroll Program" );
 
	while (!deptName.toLowerCase().equals("stop"))
 
	{
 
		System.out.println( "Please input the name of the department type stop to end." );
		deptName = input.next();	
 
		if(deptName.toLowerCase().equals( "stop"))
			{
			break;
 			}
		System.out.println( "Please input the number of employees" );
		numberEmployees = input.nextInt();
		while (numberEmployees < 0 )
			{
				System.out.println ( "Please input a positive number");
				numberEmployees = input.nextInt();
			}
 
		System.out.println( "Please input the average employee salary" );
		avgSalary = input.nextFloat();
		while ( avgSalary < 0 )
			{
				System.out.println ( " Please input a positive number");
				avgSalary = input.nextFloat();
			}
 
		totalDept = numberEmployees * avgSalary;
 
		System.out.printf( "The name of the department is %s\n ", deptName );
		System.out.printf( "The total payroll is $%sUSD ", totalDept);
 
 
	}
 
 
 
	System.out.println( "Thank you for using the Payroll Program!");
	}
}

Ha!

I honestly can't believe I figured that out lol.

Run the program with the following input:
dept name = test
#employees = 5
avgSalary = 3.3333
and see what you get. (Maybe this is not been covered in your class yet)

I got 16.6665USD. I just read in my readings a way to format an answer to two decimals. I think it was .2?

So two other quick notes.
1. Your formatting is not completely consistent, and really does not follow java convention.
1a. Sure you dont have to follow java convention, but if you ever work as part of a team, it sure is nice if everyone speaks the same language, right? No need to be different. When I write in java, I try to stick to java convention, and when I write c++, I stick to that convention. However...
1b. Whether or not you stick to convention, you should at least be consistent. You should always indent the same, put brackets on the line above or on their own line etc. Granted some of the formatting may have been lost from your pc to the forum...

2. Comments. Not a single comment in the code. It is nice to see a comment at the top that describes the purpose and use of the class (program). Then once you get into the business of the code, each little body (ok not EVERY ONE) could use a little one-liner. Just a note to remember what you meant for that line to do. Sure you can read the code and figure out what it does. But what happens when it is not working, and it is not a syntax error. It is an ugly logic error. If you look at a line that says:

total = a + b;

It is easy to assume the total is the sum of a and b. What if in fact total was not supposed to be the sum, instead you meant to multiply. Seeing a+b may not catch your eyes as an error, so you get to share some blood with the desk for an hour while you try to get it. Throwing in a comment like //product of this and that would make a+b stand out as not what you meant to do. Ok so that very low level example is not a suggestion to comment every time you add or multiply something, but just an example of how something can look right, and be so wrong.

Originally Posted by Harrald

I got 16.6665USD. I just read in my readings a way to format an answer to two decimals. I think it was .2?

Try it and see. If ever you are not sure what it will do. Back up your hard drive, and try it. (haha)