How do I read each character from a file and write it to each index of an array?

[coyne20]

Hi all

What I need to do in essence is to read a file that contains the following pattern as shown on the attachment to store each character of the pattern to an index of a multi-dimensional array.


I would like some suggestions on how to go about constructing an nxn array to store the various characters in java.

your suggestions would be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

[SerbianSergeant]

I've written this code, hope this helps:

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class SlimeTorpedo {
	public static void main(String[]args) {
		File file = new File("SlimeTorpedo.txt");
		ArrayList<String> arrayList = new ArrayList<String>();
		try {
			//reads each line from the text file and places it into a string array
			BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file));
			String str;
			while ((str = br.readLine()) != null) {
				arrayList.add(str);
			}
			
			//creates a stringFormat array and places the strings in the array list onto the stringFormat array
			String stringFormat[] = new String[arrayList.size()];
			arrayList.toArray(stringFormat);
			
			//creates 2d char array and writes the characters from the stringFormat array onto the 2d char array
			char charFormat[][] = new char[stringFormat.length][];
			for (int i = 0; i < stringFormat.length; i++) {
				charFormat[i] = stringFormat[i].toCharArray();
			}
			
			//for testing purposes, prints the 2d charFormat array
			for (int i = 0; i < stringFormat.length; i++) {
				for (int j = 0; j < charFormat[i].length; j++) {
					System.out.print(charFormat[i][j]);
				}
				System.out.println("");
			}
		} 
		catch (FileNotFoundException ex) {
			ex.printStackTrace();
		} 
		catch (IOException ex) {
			ex.printStackTrace();
		}
	}
}

There may be a way to jump straight into the 2d char array but I've never tried. I thought this was the best way to solve the problem.

For info on ArrayLists check here: ArrayList (Java Platform SE 6)

For info on 2d char arrays check here: Java: Arrays -- 2-dimensional

Regards Serb.