Receive data from an array

[phixion]

I've only been programming in Java for three weeks, so take it easy on me.

I have created an array inside of a class. I want to receive the values of that array from within another class. The programs compile, but the answers are wrong.

public class Circle
{
    private double radius; //instance variable

    /**
     * Constructor for objects of class Circle
     */
    public Circle()
    {
        radius = 0; //initialise instance variables
    }
    
    public Circle(double r)
    {
        radius = r;
    }

    public void SetRadius(double r) 
    //modifying method allowing you to assign a new value to the variable
    {
        radius = r;
    }
    
    public double[] GetProperties()
    {
        double[] Properties = new double[3];
        
        Properties[0] = 2 * radius; //Diameter
        Properties[1] = 2 * Math.PI * radius; //Circumference
        Properties[2] = Math.PI * Math.pow(radius, 2); //Area
        
        return Properties;
    }
}

import java.util.Scanner;

public class CircleTester
{
    public static void main (String[]args)
    {
        Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
        
        while (true)
        {
            System.out.print("Please enter the radius: ");
            
            Circle circle = new Circle(keyboard.nextDouble());


            //Below, shouldn't I be declaring which position in the array I want
           // to access from?

            System.out.println("Diameter: " + circle.GetProperties());
            System.out.println("Circumference: " + circle.GetProperties());
            System.out.println("Area: " + circle.GetProperties());
        }       
    }
}

When I input 1 for my radius, here is my output:

Diameter: [D@fefe3f
Circumference: [D@e61a35
Area: [D@c2b2f6

What am I doing wrong?

[pbrockway2]

//Below, shouldn't I be declaring which position in the array I want
// to access from?

Yes, you should.

Try

double[] props = circle.GetProperties();
System.out.println("Diameter: " + props[0]);
// etc

Those [D@hhhhhh things are Java's way of naming double arrays.

You should get into the habit of starting methods and variables with a lowercase letter: properties, getProperties() etc.

[Junky]

When you attempt to print an array, all the values do not get automagically displayed for you. You have to use a loop to iterate over the array and print each element one at a time.

For an explanation of what you are seeing read the toString method of Object in the Java API. What your code is doing is "print array". Since array does not have a toString method it uses the toString method it inherits from Object.

[gcalvin]

Thanks for the proper use of CODE tags.

As you suggest in your comment, you need to indicate which element of the array you want. You can either do this:

            System.out.println("Diameter: " + circle.GetProperties()[0]);
            System.out.println("Circumference: " + circle.GetProperties()[1]);
            System.out.println("Area: " + circle.GetProperties()[2]);

or this:

            double[] properties = circle.GetProperties();
            System.out.println("Diameter: " + properties[0]);
            System.out.println("Circumference: " + properties[1]);
            System.out.println("Area: " + properties[2]);

But why in the world would you want to do either? Why not simply have separate getDiameter(), getCircumference() and getArea() methods? What do you gain from the array?

-Gary-

[phixion]

Thank you all for your replies.

You should get into the habit of starting methods and variables with a lowercase letter: properties, getProperties() etc.

Duly noted.

But why in the world would you want to do either? Why not simply have separate getDiameter(), getCircumference() and getArea() methods? What do you gain from the array?

-Gary-

This is a modification of a previous program. In that program, we did have separate methods (getDiameter, etc). For this assignment, we are simply introducing arrays by modifying that existing program and storing the information in an array.

[Junky]

When will teachers learn NOT to use bad designs to teach concepts?

[gcalvin]

This is a modification of a previous program. In that program, we did have separate methods (getDiameter, etc). For this assignment, we are simply introducing arrays by modifying that existing program and storing the information in an array.

OK. I'm not a fan of instructors that require their students to do silly things, but I understand that there are plenty of silly instructors out there. A much more useful assignment would be to do something with an array of Circle objects.

-Gary-