Thread: Help with Arrays (Java card game)

In my game below, I have to make sure I don't select the same card again. Just like in a Deck. As you can see below, I chose 'A of Hearts' 2 times. How can I fix this? I'm using two arrays, one for the Card and one for the Suits. The first time, 3 cards are randomly chosen, then, if the player want, one by one.

Welcome to Thirty3
 
Would you like to play (Y/Q)? y
 
Your cards: 2 of Diamonds, A of Hearts, A of Hearts, (Total 24)
Would you like another card (Y/N)? n
 
The dealer drew: Queen of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds, Queen of Diamonds, (Total 30)
 
You lose! - Current Total - Wins - 0 Ties - 0 Loses - 1
 
Would you like to play again (Y/Q)? n

package test;
 
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Random;
 
public class Test {
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
 
        Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
        Random rand = new Random();
 
        String[] cards = {"A", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "10", "Jack", "Queen", "King"};
        String[] suits = {" of Hearts", " of Diamonds", " of Spades", " of Clubs"};
 
        ArrayList checkCards = new ArrayList();
        String currentCard, getCard;
 
        int shuffleCards, shuffleSuits, playerPoints, dealerPoints, playerTotal, dealerTotal, wins, loses, pushes;
 
        String play, anotherCard, showCard, playAgain, score;
 
        StringBuilder PSB = new StringBuilder();
        StringBuilder selectedCard = new StringBuilder();
 
        showCard = "";
        playAgain = "y";
        score = "";
 
        playerTotal = 0;
        playerPoints = 0;
        dealerPoints = 0;
        dealerTotal = 0;
 
        wins = loses = pushes = 0;
 
        System.out.println("Welcome to Thirty3\n");
 
        System.out.print("Would you like to play (Y/Q)? ");
        play = scan.nextLine();
 
        if(play.equalsIgnoreCase("y"))
        {
            while(playAgain.equalsIgnoreCase("y"))
{
            System.out.println();
 
            System.out.print("Your cards: ");
            for(int a=1; a<=3; a++)
            {
//                shuffleCards = rand.nextInt(cards.length-1) + 0;
//                shuffleSuits = rand.nextInt(suits.length-1) + 0;
 
                shuffleCards = 0;
                shuffleSuits = 0;
 
                selectedCard.append(cards[shuffleCards].concat(suits[shuffleSuits]));
//                selectedCard = cards[shuffleCards].concat(suits[shuffleSuits]);
                    currentCard = cards[shuffleCards].concat(suits[shuffleSuits]);
//                System.out.println("current card" + currentCard);
                checkCards.add(currentCard);
//                System.out.println("currentCard " + checkCards);
                for(int x=0; x<checkCards.toArray().length; x++)
                {
//                    getCard = (String) checkCards.get(x);
 
                    if(currentCard.matches(selectedCard.toString()))
                    {
                        shuffleCards = rand.nextInt(cards.length-1) + 0;
                        shuffleSuits = rand.nextInt(suits.length-1) + 0;
 
//                        System.out.println("That card already selected!");
 
                    }
 
//                    System.out.println("getCard["+x+"] = " + (String) checkCards.get(x));
                }
 
                System.out.print(cards[shuffleCards] + suits[shuffleSuits] + ", ");                         
 
                if(shuffleCards == 1)
                {
                    playerPoints = 2;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 2)
                {
                    playerPoints = 3;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 3)
                {
                    playerPoints = 4;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 4)
                {
                    playerPoints = 5;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 5)
                {
                    playerPoints = 6;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 6)
                {
                    playerPoints = 7;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 7)
                {
                    playerPoints = 8;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 8)
                {
                    playerPoints = 9;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 9 || shuffleCards == 10 || shuffleCards == 11 || shuffleCards == 12)
                {
                    playerPoints = 10;
                }
 
                if((shuffleCards == 10 && shuffleSuits == 2 )|| (shuffleCards == 10 && shuffleSuits == 0) || (shuffleCards == 12 && shuffleSuits == 1))
                {
                    playerPoints = 13;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 2 && shuffleSuits == 3)
                {
                    playerPoints = 0;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 0 && (playerTotal <= 22))
                {
                    playerPoints = 11;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 0 && (playerTotal > 22))
                {
                    playerPoints = 1;
                }   
 
                playerTotal = playerPoints + playerTotal;
 
                showCard = showCard.concat(cards[shuffleCards]).concat(suits[shuffleSuits].concat(", "));
            }
 
            System.out.print("(Total " + playerTotal + ")");
 
            System.out.println();
 
            System.out.print("Would you like another card (Y/N)? ");
            anotherCard = scan.nextLine();
 
            while(anotherCard.equalsIgnoreCase("y"))
            {
                System.out.print("Your cards: " + showCard);
 
                shuffleCards = rand.nextInt(cards.length-1) + 0;
                shuffleSuits = rand.nextInt(suits.length-1) + 0;
 
                PSB.append(cards[shuffleCards].concat(suits[shuffleSuits]).concat(", ")); // dashes done here
                System.out.print(PSB.toString());
 
                if(shuffleCards == 1)
                {
                    playerPoints = 2;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 2)
                {
                    playerPoints = 3;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 3)
                {
                    playerPoints = 4;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 4)
                {
                    playerPoints = 5;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 5)
                {
                    playerPoints = 6;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 6)
                {
                    playerPoints = 7;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 7)
                {
                    playerPoints = 8;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 8)
                {
                    playerPoints = 9;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 9 || shuffleCards == 10 || shuffleCards == 11 || shuffleCards == 12)
                {
                    playerPoints = 10;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 10 && shuffleSuits == 2 || shuffleCards == 10 && shuffleSuits == 0 || shuffleCards == 12 && shuffleSuits == 1)
                {
                    playerPoints = 13;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 2 && shuffleSuits == 3)
                {
                    playerPoints = 0;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 0 && (playerTotal <= 22))
                {
                    playerPoints = 11;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 0 && (playerTotal > 22))
                {
                    playerPoints = 1;
                }   
 
                playerTotal = playerPoints + playerTotal;
 
                System.out.print("(Total " + playerTotal + ")");
 
                System.out.println();
 
                System.out.print("Would you like another card (Y/N)? ");
                anotherCard = scan.nextLine();
            }            
 
            System.out.println();
 
            System.out.print("The dealer drew: ");
 
            while(dealerTotal <= 26)
            {
                shuffleCards = rand.nextInt(cards.length-1) + 0;
                shuffleSuits = rand.nextInt(suits.length-1) + 0;
 
                if(shuffleCards == 1)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 2;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 2)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 3;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 3)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 4;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 4)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 5;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 5)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 6;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 6)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 7;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 7)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 8;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 8)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 9;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 9 || shuffleCards == 10 || shuffleCards == 11 || shuffleCards == 12)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 10;
                }
 
                if((shuffleCards == 10 && shuffleSuits == 2 )|| (shuffleCards == 10 && shuffleSuits == 0) || (shuffleCards == 12 && shuffleSuits == 1))
                {
                    dealerPoints = 13;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 2 && shuffleSuits == 3)
                {
                    dealerPoints = 0;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 0 && (dealerTotal <= 22))
                {
                    dealerPoints = 11;
                }
 
                if(shuffleCards == 0 && (dealerTotal > 22))
                {
                    dealerPoints = 1;
                }
 
                dealerTotal = dealerPoints + dealerTotal; 
 
                System.out.print(cards[shuffleCards] + suits[shuffleSuits].concat(", "));     
 
            }
 
            System.out.println("(Total " + dealerTotal + ")");
 
            System.out.println();
 
            if((33 - playerTotal < 33 - dealerTotal) && playerTotal <= 33 || dealerTotal > 33)
            {
                score = "win!";
                wins++;
            }
 
            if((33 - playerTotal > 33 - dealerTotal) && dealerTotal <= 33 || playerTotal > 33)
            {
                score = "lose!";
                loses++;
            }
 
            if(playerTotal == dealerTotal)
            {
                score = "tied!";                
                pushes++;
            }
 
            System.out.println("You " + score + " - Current Total - Wins - " + wins + " Ties - " + pushes + " Loses - " + loses);
 
            System.out.println();
 
            System.out.print("Would you like to play again (Y/Q)? ");
            playAgain = scan.nextLine();
 
            if(playAgain.equalsIgnoreCase("y"))
            {
                playerTotal = 0;
                dealerTotal = 0;
                playerPoints = 0;
                dealerPoints = 0;
 
                PSB.delete(0, PSB.length());
                showCard = "";
            }
 }
        }        
    }    
}

I didn't even check your code for your dealing design, but a clever way to do it (I think) is to:

Assuming each card is an object (adjust if it's not):
Load the deck of cards into an array, order doesn't matter.
Set the number of available cards = to the size of the array of cards.

Dealing Loop:
Pick an index randomly, 0 - number of available cards.
Deal the card at the random index.
Swap the card dealt with the card at index ( numberOfAvailableCards - 1 ) (the current last available card).
Reduce the number of available cards by 1.
Repeat Dealing Loop as necessary.

When the numberOfAvailableCards has reached 0, there are no more cards in the deck. The deck is ready for reuse just as it is because it has been shuffled as part of the dealing process, or a new deck can be created, if desired. It doesn't matter.

Let me know if you have questions.

Originally Posted by Norm

If you changed how the cards are stored to use an ArrayList, then you could shuffle the list and remove the cards one at a time from the list.

I thought about using ArrayList since I can remove something if I want, but I HAVE to use Array for this.

--- Update ---

Originally Posted by GregBrannon

I didn't even check your code for your dealing design, but a clever way to do it (I think) is to:

Assuming each card is an object (adjust if it's not):
Load the deck of cards into an array, order doesn't matter.
Set the number of available cards = to the size of the array of cards.

Dealing Loop:
Pick an index randomly, 0 - number of available cards.
Deal the card at the random index.
Swap the card dealt with the card at index ( numberOfAvailableCards - 1 ) (the current last available card).
Reduce the number of available cards by 1.
Repeat Dealing Loop as necessary.

When the numberOfAvailableCards has reached 0, there are no more cards in the deck. The deck is ready for reuse just as it is because it has been shuffled as part of the dealing process, or a new deck can be created, if desired. It doesn't matter.

Let me know if you have questions.

Is there a way to compare arrays? My plan is to get the cards that are already chosen and put it an array. I know the maximum is 52 cards, so I can declare that array size to be 52. Then, my plan is to compare next card to the cards that are already selected. If they match, pick another card till it doesn't match.

Originally Posted by Norm

You can get the same effect if you shuffle the array and use an index that points to the next card to deal.
Increment the index as the cards are dealt.

Thanks, I'll try that.

Shuffling and comparing to cards already dealt are all unnecessary steps with my approach, but you do as you decide is best.

You could make a 2D string array to hold the unique cards. Something like this:

String[][] deck = new String[suits.length()][cards.length()];
 
for (int i = 0; i < cards.length(); i++)
     (for int j = 0; j < suits.length(); j++)
          deck[i][j] = cards[i] + suits[j];

The only problem that remains after that is mapping the indices correctly given 1-52. It shouldn't be too difficult for you to figure out though