sentinel help

[droidus]

i have a program that allows a user to enter 2 floating point values, and returns some mathematical statements about them (average, range). I say to enter -1 to quit the program, but it does not exit-it only keeps on running. i used the while statement (number1 != =1) any ideas?

thanks!

[KevinWorkman]

I suggest you provide an SSCCE that demonstrates the problem, keeping in mind that the program should be as short as possible, probably only a few lines.

People aren't going to want to click on an attached file, and they aren't going to want to wade through code that doesn't directly have to do with the problem at hand.

[Skiller]

i used the while statement (number1 != =1) any ideas?

Unless it's just a spelling mistake in the post, I'd suggest replacing =1 with -1.

[Shoss]

Looks like you're missing the closing bracket of your do while loop. The while statement is in the do section so it will run forever.

float number1;
float number2;

do {
//Prompts user for their first set of floating-point values
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("What is your first number? (enter -1 to terminate this program: ");
number1 = in.nextFloat();

//Prompts user for their second set of floating-point values
System.out.print("What is your second number?: ");
number2 = in.nextFloat();

float average = ((number1+number2)/2);
float range = (number1-number2);

System.out.println("The average of these two numbers is: " + average + ".");
System.out.println("The range of these two numbers is: " + range + ".");

if (number1<number2){
		System.out.println("The smallest value is: " + number1 + " and the largest, " + number2 + ".");}
	else if (number1>number2){
		System.out.println("The smallest value is: " + number2 + " and the largest, " + number1 + ".\n");}
	else if (number1==number2){
		System.out.println("The numbers are equal.");}
}
while (number1 != -1);

[JosAH]

Unless it's just a spelling mistake in the post, I'd suggest replacing =1 with -1.

I opened that link and the original code reads:

do 
{
   // all code ...
}
while (number1 != -1);

But another remark: the indentation stinks and is misleading (at least to me it is). Don't put those right curly brackets at those funny locations.

kind regards,

Jos

[droidus]

yes, it is a problem with brackets. and should i be lining up my brackets like in the attached document?

and yes, it is a -1... sorry.

so i got it fixed, but i am surprised, because it won't check if number1=-1 until that loop has run through... I was hoping if it was entered for number1, it would quit right then and there...

[Skiller]

I was hoping if it was entered for number1, it would quit right then and there...

To do that you could replace the do with the while statement from the bottom of the loop (removing it from the bottom), then move

//Prompts user for their first set of floating-point values
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("What is your first number? (enter -1 to terminate this program: ");
number1 = in.nextFloat();

to outside of the loop just above what would now be the while statement, then also copy that code just and paste it inside the loop above the closing brace of the loop.

[JosAH]

so i got it fixed, but i am surprised, because it won't check if number1=-1 until that loop has run through... I was hoping if it was entered for number1, it would quit right then and there...

No need to be surprised because your program first does all the calculations with those numbers (even if they equal -1) and only at the end of your do-while loop you test whether or not one of them equals -1. Better do something like this:

do {
   // input the numbers
   if (number1 != -1) {
      // do the calculations
   }
}
while (number1 != -1);

There are many variations to this theme; play with the control flow a bit.

kind regards,

Jos

[JosAH]

then also copy that code just and paste it inside the loop above the closing brace of the loop.

Eeeww! He said "copy and paste the code"! Don't ever say that again when I'm reading! Yuck!

kind regards,

Jos ;-)

[Skiller]

Eeeww! He said "copy and paste the code"! Don't ever say that again when I'm reading! Yuck!

Haha, yer I guess I'm too used to writing code for real time scenarios where if statements in loops should be avoided if possible (especially on PS3 which doesn't have proper branch prediction), but in this case your solution would certainly be much neater and more readable and without the need for real time performance therefor better :).

[JosAH]

Haha, yer I guess I'm too used to writing code for real time scenarios where if statements in loops should be avoided if possible (especially on PS3 which doesn't have proper branch prediction), but in this case your solution would certainly be much neater and more readable and without the need for real time performance therefor better :).

Well, this problem does need a condition (number1 == -1) and an action, so simply moving that test down from the while( ... ) test doesn't add any other test; something like this:

for (;;) { // loop forever
   // read two numbers
   if (number1 == -1) break; // get out of here
   // do the work ...
}

kind regards,

Jos

[droidus]

No need to be surprised because your program first does all the calculations with those numbers (even if they equal -1) and only at the end of your do-while loop you test whether or not one of them equals -1. Better do something like this:

do {
   // input the numbers
   if (number1 != -1) {
      // do the calculations
   }
}
while (number1 != -1);

There are many variations to this theme; play with the control flow a bit.

kind regards,

Jos

awesome, thanks! exactly what I needed :)

[JosAH]

awesome, thanks! exactly what I needed :)

Better use my suggestion in reply #11, it avoids testing the condition twice.

kind regards,

Jos