Thread: I need help coding a string

Hello, I am currently writing a program that takes a word inputted by the user and codes it. It has 4 steps and I have figured out and have finished the last 3 steps but can't quite figure out the first one. Here are the 3 steps:

Step 1: (this is the step I need help on)
Replaces each character in the entered word using the following rules:
A, E, I, O, U, Y → A
B, F, P, V → B
C, G, K, J, Q, S, X, Z → C
D, T → D
H, W → H
L → L
M, N → M
R → R

Step 2:
For any consonant that is followed by an H, eliminate the H. Example, a string like DHD
would be replaced by DD, but AHD would remain the same.

Step 3:
Replace any repeated sequence of consonants by a single instance. For example, MM would be
replaced by M.

Step 4:
Eliminate all the A’s.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And here is my code, I have 90% of it finished.

import java.util.Scanner;
public class PlanitReduction {

/**
* Checks if the char identified by "currentChar" is a consonant.
* @param currentChar the char we are testing. Assumed to be UPPERCASE.
* @return true if currentChar is a consonant, false otherwise.
*/

private static boolean isConsonant(char currentChar){

if((currentChar == 'A') ||
(currentChar == 'E') ||
(currentChar == 'I') ||
(currentChar == 'O') ||
(currentChar == 'U')){
return false;
}

return true;
}

public static void main(String[] args) {
String answer = "y";
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);

do{
String original = "";
String encoded = "";

//Getting the original message
System.out.println("Please enter your original word: ");
original = scan.next();

//Getting the whole word in uppercase
original = original.toUpperCase();

//Step 1: Replace each character with it's appropriate letter:

//************************************************** ***********
//
// ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
//
//************************************************** ***********


System.out.println("After Rule 1: " + encoded);

//Step 2: Removes all H's if their occur after a consonant

for(int i = 1; i < encoded.length(); i++){

char currentChar = encoded.charAt(i);

if(currentChar == 'H'){

char previousChar = encoded.charAt(i-1);

if(isConsonant(previousChar)){
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(encoded);
sb.deleteCharAt(i);
encoded = sb.toString();
}
}
}

System.out.println("After Rule 2: " + encoded);


//Step 3: Getting rid of repeated consecutive consonants

char previousChar = encoded.charAt(0);
for(int i = 1; i < encoded.length(); i++)
{
char currentChar = encoded.charAt(i);

if(isConsonant(currentChar) && (currentChar == previousChar))
{
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(encoded);
sb.deleteCharAt(i);
encoded = sb.toString();
i--;
}
previousChar = currentChar;
}

System.out.println("After Rule 3: " + encoded);

// Step 4: Eliminating all A's

for(int i = 0; i < encoded.length(); i++)
{
char currentChar = encoded.charAt(i);

if(currentChar == 'A'){

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(encoded);
sb.deleteCharAt(i);
encoded = sb.toString();
i--;
}
}
System.out.println("Result: " + encoded);
System.out.println("Would you like to perform another translation? y/n");
answer = scan.next();

}while(!answer.equals("n"));

System.out.println("Thank you!");
scan.close();
}

}

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basically, I was wondering if someone can show me the code of how to, if the letters A, E, I, O, U, Y are included in the entered string then replace them with the letter A. That would be so helpful. Thank you

I don't really know how to do it with StringBuilder but with the String class, you can replace chars with new ones with this:

String (Java Platform SE 7 )

for(int i = 1; i < encoded.length(); i++){

That is going to ignore the first character as String indexes start at 0.

Sorry, I didnt think those were the same forums. Anyone able to help?

Ok so I thought I figured it out but step 1 is still giving me some trouble. I have tested step one in its own program and it works fine but when I put it into the rest of the code it does not do what it is suppose to.

If I input the word "thinning" I should be getting this output:
After Rule 1: DHAMMAMC
After Rule 2: DAMMAMC
After Rule 3: DAMAMC
Result: DMMC
Would you like to perform another translation? y/n

But instead I am getting this output:
After Rule 1: THINNING
After Rule 2: TINNING
After Rule 3: TINING
Result: TINING
Would you like to perform another translation? y/n

Here is my code:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

import java.util.Scanner;
public class PlanitReduction {

/**
* Checks if the char identified by "currentChar" is a consonant.
* @param currentChar the char we are testing. Assumed to be UPPERCASE.
* @return true if currentChar is a consonant, false otherwise.
*/

private static boolean isConsonant(char currentChar){

if((currentChar == 'A') ||
(currentChar == 'E') ||
(currentChar == 'I') ||
(currentChar == 'O') ||
(currentChar == 'U')){
return false;
}

return true;
}

public static void main(String[] args) {
String answer = "y";
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);

do{
String original = "";
String encoded = "";

//Getting the original message
System.out.println("Please enter your original word: ");
original = scan.next();

//Getting the whole word in upper case
original = original.toUpperCase();

//Step 1: Replace each character with it's appropriate letter:

String coded1 = original.replace('a', 'a')
.replace('e', 'a')
.replace('i', 'a')
.replace('o', 'a')
.replace('u', 'a')
.replace('y', 'a');
String coded2 = coded1.replace('b', 'b')
.replace('f', 'b')
.replace('p', 'b')
.replace('v', 'b');
String coded3 = coded2.replace('c', 'c')
.replace('g', 'c')
.replace('k', 'c')
.replace('j', 'c')
.replace('q', 'c')
.replace('s', 'c')
.replace('x', 'c')
.replace('z', 'c');
String coded4 = coded3.replace('d', 'd')
.replace('t', 'd');
String coded5 = coded4.replace('h', 'h')
.replace('w', 'h');
String coded6 = coded5.replace('l', 'l');
String coded7 = coded6.replace('m', 'm')
.replace('n', 'm');
encoded = coded7.replace('r', 'r');


System.out.println("After Rule 1: " + encoded);

//Step 2: Removes all H's if their occur after a consonant

for(int i = 1; i < encoded.length(); i++){

char currentChar = encoded.charAt(i);

if(currentChar == 'H'){

char previousChar = encoded.charAt(i-1);

if(isConsonant(previousChar)){
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(encoded);
sb.deleteCharAt(i);
encoded = sb.toString();
}
}
}

System.out.println("After Rule 2: " + encoded);


//Step 3: Getting rid of repeated consecutive consonants

char previousChar = encoded.charAt(0);
for(int i = 1; i < encoded.length(); i++)
{
char currentChar = encoded.charAt(i);

if(isConsonant(currentChar) && (currentChar == previousChar))
{
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(encoded);
sb.deleteCharAt(i);
encoded = sb.toString();
i--;
}
previousChar = currentChar;
}

System.out.println("After Rule 3: " + encoded);

// Step 4: Eliminating all A's

for(int i = 0; i < encoded.length(); i++)
{
char currentChar = encoded.charAt(i);

if(currentChar == 'A'){

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(encoded);
sb.deleteCharAt(i);
encoded = sb.toString();
i--;
}
}
System.out.println("Result: " + encoded);
System.out.println("Would you like to perform another translation? y/n");
answer = scan.next();

}while(!answer.equals("n"));

System.out.println("Thank you!");
scan.close();
}

}