Thread: trying to merge two sets of coding to get input written to file and auto generate unique saved file

trying to merge two sets of coding to get input written to file and auto generate unique saved file. the file compiles and works but it creates two files and does not save the input to the unique file created. i think the problem is in the code line: "BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(generateUniqueFileName()))) " but i am new so idk. thnx

// File with a timestamp in the filename
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Path;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.io.BufferedWriter;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.time.LocalDate;
 
 
 
// Class definition for UniqueFileNameExampleOne
public class SampleMix {
    // Main method
    public static void main(String[] args) {
                try
 
                (Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
                     BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(generateUniqueFileName()))) 
                     {
 
                   while (true) {
 
                        System.out.print("Press Enter to enter job info or type 'exit'): ");
                        String answerdate = scanner.nextLine();
 
                        if (answerdate.equalsIgnoreCase("exit")) {
                            break;
                        }
 
                    System.out.print("Job Applied for: ");
                    String answer1 = scanner.nextLine();
                    System.out.print("Company: ");
                    String answer2 = scanner.nextLine();
                    System.out.print("Platform: ");
                    String answer3 = scanner.nextLine();
 
                    writer.write("Date:" + LocalDate.now());
 
                    writer.newLine();
                    writer.write("Job Applied For: " + answer1);
                    writer.newLine();
                    writer.write("Company: " + answer2);
                    writer.newLine();
                    writer.write("Platform: " + answer3);
                    writer.newLine();
                    writer.write(answerdate);
                    writer.newLine();
                    writer.newLine();
                    }
 
                //} catch (IOException e) {
                 //   System.err.println("Error writing to file: " + e.getMessage());
 
 
 
             //try {   
                    // Specify the directory where you want to create the file
            String directoryPath = "C:\\Users\\brett\\Documents";
 
            // Generate a unique file name using timestamp
            String uniqueFileName = generateUniqueFileName();
 
            // Combine the directory path and unique file name to get the full file path
            Path fullPath = Paths.get(directoryPath, uniqueFileName);
 
            // If the directory does not exist, create the directory
            if (!Files.exists(fullPath.getParent())) {
                Files.createDirectories(fullPath.getParent());
            }
 
            // Create the file
            Files.createFile(fullPath);
 
            System.out.println("File created successfully: " + fullPath);
 
        } 
               // Handle file creation errors
        catch (IOException e) 
        {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
 
    }
 
          // Helper method to generate a unique file name using a timestamp
    private static String generateUniqueFileName() 
    {
        SimpleDateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("-yyyyMMddHHmmss");
        String timestamp = dateFormat.format(new Date());
        return "file_" + timestamp + ".txt";
    }
 
}

i am using bluej and it compiles and runs and i dont get any error messages. originally where this statement is: BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(generateUniqueFileName()))) i had BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("C:\\Users\bdill\\Documents\\jobapps.tx t"))) and it would create two different files...one with the information i had input and one with a unique file name.

and i am trying to get the code to write a file with input that answers the questions in the code and to save that with a unique file name. thnx

thank you for your help

I just want the input to be in the program when i save it. i have made some other programs that do that and work good...the only difference is that i wanted a unique name because sometimes i open the program more than once a day, the original program saves the file with the date automatically, so if i open it again it will overwrite the original and i will loose my information. i am trying to write another that will add a unique file extension so that it will be different than any previous i made that day. here is what normally is saved with the other program (with my new program i listed the contents are empty):

Date:2024-12-17
Job Applied For: Freight Forwarder/3PL Logistics Operations & Customer Service'
Company: Mascot International Logistics Inc
Platform: Indeed.com


Date:2024-12-17
Job Applied For: Service Advisor
Company: BMW of Riverside
Platform: Indeed.com


Date:2024-12-17
Job Applied For: Dynamic PC Support
Company: Worldwide TechServices
Platform: Indeed.com

Thank you for your response and info...
you asked: What do you want it to do?
I want it to write the input to the same file it saves...i felt like i was close but couldnt figure out why it was making two files. if i take out the input it creates a file with a unique ext with the date...i just want it to do that and write the input to that file only and not create any additional files.

I will try you suggestion to have it check for existing files with the same name...thank you again!