'Password' help

[iWonder]

This program is supposed to ask the user for a password..
and if they guess correctly it will say "Welcome"
but if they dont get it, they are given a total of 3 tries to guess the password.
if after 3 tries, they still fail to guess it.. it should say 'access denied'

any help would be appreciated...

import java.util.Scanner;

public class Ch6Ex17 {
  public static void main (String [] args) {
    //declare variables
    String userPass, compPass;
    //initialize scanner
    Scanner input = new Scanner (System.in);
    
    
   System.out.println("Enter the password: ");
    userPass = input.nextLine();
    input.close();
    compPass = "password";
    
    if (userPass == compPass) {
      System.out.println("Welcome.");
    } else {
      System.out.println("Access Denied.");
    }
  }
}

[Fubarable]

When I see something like XXX tries, I automatically think "loop" such as a for loop or while loop. I suggest you think of the same. Good luck.

[iWonder]

could you show a simple one..?
or what it would look like?

[uncommon]

//loop will count to 3
//index is initialized to 1
//loop doesn't run when index > three (before loop runs)
//add one to the index (at end of loop)

  for (int index = 1; index <= 3; index++){
      System.out.println(index);
  }

This is a basic loop. To get three iterations, it is more common to use:

  for (int index = 0; index < 3; index++){
      System.out.println(index);
  }

[CJSLMAN]

Also, and very important (and even more important in this case), you don't want to compare strings using "==". It can/will give wrong results:

if (userPass == compPass)

Use the String methods .equals(), .compareTo(), etc.

if (userPass.equals(compPass))

Luck,
CJSL

[iWonder]

Thanks!
but I have one question...
What is the use of 'index' in the loop??

for (int index = 0; index < 3; index++){
      System.out.println(index);
  }

[thekrazykid]

index is just a variable assigned to be a counter.. the for loop is saying for every value of a variable (index) such that a constraint is true (index <3) do this (System.out.println(index)) then once done do something to the counter (index++) before the next iteration

[uncommon]

A lot of times, the index is represented as i. It's just used for counting purposes. I think thekrazykid explained it well enough if you break it down into pieces

for (int index = 0; index < 3; index++){
      System.out.println(index);
  }

is the same thing as

 System.out.println("0");
 System.out.println("1");
 System.out.println("2");

[carderne]

for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
     //your code here
     if (enteredPass.equals(actualPass)) {
        System.out.println("Welcome");


    else if (i == 3)
        System.out.println("Access denied");
}

[CJSLMAN]

@carderne - it's a good idea to use curly brackets "{}"after if, else and for statements even when they're one liners. This way, statements can be added afterwards without any problem.

Luck,
CJSL

[iWonder]

thank you carderne,
but I was also wondering..
with every failed attempt it should say "You have typed the incorrect password"
ONLY when the 3 tries are used should it say "Access denied."

how would that look like?

[uncommon]

You kind of need to figure that one out one your own. Look up conditionals and loops to figure it out. His code cleaned up looks like this:

//Loop through three times
for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
	//Compare the passwords
	if (enteredPass.equals(actualPass))
		//They picked the right password
		System.out.println("Welcome");
	//They failed three times
	else if (i == 3)
		System.out.println("Access denied");
}

[carderne]

@CJSL
Ok, I'll start doing that from now on.

@iWonder
After the else if statement in my previous post, add the following:
else {
System.out.println("You have entered the incorrect password");
}

[Fubarable]

@carderne - it's a good idea to use curly brackets "{}"after if, else and for statements even when they're one liners. This way, statements can be added afterwards without any problem.

Yeah, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's been burned by that a time or two.

[iWonder]

its all working fine,
BUT theres just one more thing -_-
if the password is guessed correctly on the 1st or 2nd try, i dont want the loop to start all over again, saying "enter the password"
i just need it to say 'welcome' without anything else
i dont know if im making sens :S

help please? (:

[xcallmejudasx]

your probably better off using a while loop with 2 conditionals.

while((!correct) && (tries<=3)){
ask for password input
tries++;
if(input.equalsIgnoreCase(password){
correct = true;
}
}

[carderne]

for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
     //your code here
     if (enteredPass.equals(actualPass)) {
        System.out.println("Welcome");
        break;//this exits the for loop

    else if (i == 3)
        System.out.println("Access denied");

else
        System.out.println("Incorrect password");
}

The 'break' exits the for loop.

[xcallmejudasx]

Might want to point out. someString.equals(someotherString) won't ever return true(I believe). Something about it comparing the reference to the string and not the actual string. Your better off using .equalsIgnoreCase() or if your password is case sensitive loop through comparing the .charAt(). I think you can compare characters using .equals().

[carderne]

callmejudas,
No, .equals() is exactly what he needs to use. The problem you're thinking of is if you use '==' to compare two Strings, in which case it will only return true if the two Strings are exact copies of one another.

[xcallmejudasx]

callmejudas,
No, .equals() is exactly what he needs to use. The problem you're thinking of is if you use '==' to compare to Strings, in which case it will only return true if the two Strings are exact copies of one another.

ahh thanks for clearing that up. I have all these rules floating around and not exactly sure where they apply.