Printing contents of Arraylist -- strange issue

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 03:35 PM

First of all, let me say yes this is for a class at school. Sorry if that is an issue for you, I am only trying to learn what I have done wrong. I do not expect you to do any work for me, and really appreciate any time you can give.

This is the first time I have used an Arraylist, so you may look at some of the things I have done, and wonder wtf is going on, sorry about that. 1 requirement is that I have an external file with a class that defines 3 variables. Here is that class.

"external class with variables"

Java Code:

public class Student {
 String name;
 double gpa;
 int hrsPassed;
}

Here is my main program, you will see that I have some "System.out.println" through out, these are only to test my data. All data is supposed to go to a file. The System.out is where I have found the problem however, which I will show toward the end of the post.

Java Code:

import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.text.*;
import java.lang.*;

public class Program12 {

public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception
   {
    Scanner inFile = new Scanner (new FileReader("H:/Metro/NetBeansProjects" +
                                 "/CS1050/data/12in.dat"));
    PrintWriter outFile = new PrintWriter("H:/Metro/NetBeansProjects" +
                                 "/CS1050/data/12out.dat");
    ArrayList list = new ArrayList();
    int count=0;

    count = fillArray(list, count, inFile, outFile);
    gpaMethod(list, count, outFile);

    outFile.close();
   }
//******************************************************************************
public static int fillArray(ArrayList list, int count,
                            Scanner inFile, PrintWriter outFile)
{
  String tempData=null, tempName, line, s;
  char letter;
  StringTokenizer st, str;
  int i=0,number, gpaSwitch=0, credits=0;
  double pairsLength=0, gpaCalc;

     outFile.println("Data Echo:");
     outFile.println("==========");
     while(inFile.hasNext())
      { 
        gpaCalc=0;
        line = inFile.nextLine();
        st = new StringTokenizer(line);
        tempName = st.nextToken("#");
        
        Student studMuffin = new Student();
        tempData = st.nextToken("#");
        //data echo
        outFile.println(tempName + "#" + tempData + "#");
        str = new StringTokenizer(tempData);

        //determine that there is at least one pair of data
         pairsLength = trimRight(trimLeft(tempData)).length();

        //data process and store in ArrayList
        while(str.hasMoreTokens() &&  pairsLength>=3)
         {
         number = Integer.parseInt(str.nextToken());
         letter = str.nextToken().charAt(0);
         gpaSwitch=Character.getNumericValue(letter);
          
           switch (gpaSwitch)
           {
              case 10:
                      credits += number; //credit for A;
                      gpaCalc += 4 * number; //4 points for A
                      break;
              case 11:
                      credits += number; //credit for B;
                      gpaCalc += 3 * number; //3 points for B
                      break;
              case 12:
                      credits += number; //credit for C;
                      gpaCalc += 2 * number; //2 points for C
                      break;
              case 13:
                      credits += number; //credit for D;
                      gpaCalc += 1 * number; //1 point for D
                      break;
              case 15:
                      credits += 0; //no credit for F
                      gpaCalc += 0; //no points for F
                      break;
              case 28:
                      credits += number; //credit for S;
                      break;
              default:
                      credits += 0; //grade not recognized
                      gpaCalc += 0; //grade not recognized
                      
           }
         }
       studMuffin.name = trimLeft(trimRight(tempName));
       studMuffin.gpa = gpaCalc/credits;
       studMuffin.hrsPassed = credits;

       System.out.println("Name: " + studMuffin.name);
       System.out.println("GPA: " + studMuffin.gpa);
       System.out.println("Credits: " + studMuffin.hrsPassed);

       list.add(studMuffin);
       i++;
       }
  outFile.println("===================================================");


  return i;
}
//******************************************************************************
public static void gpaMethod(ArrayList list, int count,
                            PrintWriter outFile)
{   Iterator i1 = list.iterator();

    while (i1.hasNext())
    {
	System.out.print(i1.next() + " , ");
    }
    
}
//******************************************************************************
private static String trimRight(String data)
{
 int index = data.length()-1;
  if (index >= 0)
  {
    while (data.charAt(index) == ' ')
    {
      index--;
    }
 
    if (index < 0)
    {
      return "";
    } 
    else 
    {
      return data.substring(0,index+1);
    }
  }
  else 
  {
   return data;
  }
 }//end of trimRight(String name)
//******************************************************************************
private static String trimLeft(String data)
{
 int index = 0;

 if (data == null)
     return "";

 while (data.charAt(index) == ' ')
    {
      data = data.substring(1);
    }
 return data;
}//end of trimLeft(String name)

}

Here is the output. You will see that my assignment of the name, gpa, and credit amount seems to be looking good, as far as the fillArray method is concerned...

Java Code:

       System.out.println("Name: " + studMuffin.name);
       System.out.println("GPA: " + studMuffin.gpa);
       System.out.println("Credits: " + studMuffin.hrsPassed);

followed by "gpaMethod" output:

Java Code:

Iterator i1 = list.iterator();

    while (i1.hasNext())
    {
	System.out.print(i1.next() + " , ");
    }

However, just the simple gpaMethod method is giving me what I would not expect to be in the Arraylist. Can anyone tell me what I have done wrong?

Output(System.out ONLY):

Java Code:

Name: Van Zell David
GPA: 2.0
Credits: 8
Name: Toole Nancy
GPA: 2.1578947368421053
Credits: 19
Name: Tucker Henry
GPA: 0.20833333333333334
Credits: 24
Name: Van Zell Sally
GPA: 0.4117647058823529
Credits: 34
Name: Tucker Becky
GPA: 1.2244897959183674
Credits: 49
Name: Stratton Charles
GPA: 0.2857142857142857
Credits: 63
Name: Toole Charles
GPA: 0.0
Credits: 63
Name: Thomas William
GPA: 0.5066666666666667
Credits: 75
Student@14318bb , Student@ca0b6 , Student@10b30a7 , Student@1a758cb , Student@1b67f74 , Student@69b332 , Student@173a10f , Student@530daa ,

Question:
What is going on with this "Student@..." That is not what I thought I put into the Arraylist...

Input file (if you care)

Java Code:

Van Zell David          # 4 D 4 B #
Toole Nancy             # 3 A 3 B 5 A 4 X #
Tucker Henry            # 5 D 3 F 2 U 4 F #
Van Zell Sally          # 4 C 6 D #
Tucker Becky            # 3 A 3 A 2 A 4 A 3 A #
Stratton Charles        # 2 S 2 D 5 C 4 D 1 C #
Toole Charles           # 3 U #
Thomas William          # 4 A 3 B 2 C 3 B #

Thank you to anyone willing to take a couple minutes to look at this. :o

**PhHein** · 08-09-2010, 03:55 PM

Hi there, no problem if this is a school assignment, as long as you do the work and post a specific question as you did. In your sysouts you print the attributes of your Student class

Java Code:

 System.out.println("Name: " + studMuffin.name);

This works fine, but in gpa you print out the String representation of Student, that's like

Java Code:

System.out.println(studMuffin);

Your options are to override toString() in Student or to create another method that returns a String representation of your Student object.

**Norm** · 08-09-2010, 04:34 PM

Further explanation.
Student@ca0b6 is what is returned by the Object toString() method. Its the class name followed by its memory location.
As PhHein said: If you want to see info about your class you need to override the toString() method to return what you'd like to see.

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 04:54 PM

Thank you! I just wrote a HUGE response and must have timed out. I am working on it on my machine and will post in just a second.

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by PhHein

Hi there, no problem if this is a school assignment, as long as you do the work and post a specific question as you did. In your sysouts you print the attributes of your Student class

Java Code:

 System.out.println("Name: " + studMuffin.name);

This works fine, but in gpa you print out the String representation of Student, that's like

Java Code:

System.out.println(studMuffin);

Your options are to override toString() in Student or to create another method that returns a String representation of your Student object.

Now, wouldnt I need to put this into some kind of for or while loop and reference index numbers or something so I can bring out the entire Arraylist? Or is the way I am filling it going to overwrite it self every time?

If I stick a: System.out.println (list.size()); in the main method right after the call to the fillArray method, it will return the proper amount, 8 "students".

I keep wanting to print it like a regular array... studMuffin.name[1] and so on.

**Norm** · 08-09-2010, 05:25 PM

Not sure what all your questions are.
The ArrayList class has methods that allow you to retrieve elements based on an index, like you can do with an array. You use a method call vs using the array reference: []

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

Not sure what all your questions are.
The ArrayList class has methods that allow you to retrieve elements based on an index, like you can do with an array. You use a method call vs using the array reference: []

Well, I guess my thought is, by printing only studMuffin.name, you are really just printing a string from another class, not something that is stored in an Arraylist.

Is that correct, or incorrect?

Also, If I have multiple studMuffins in the Arraylist "list" how do I roll though and print each out?

System.out.println(studMuffin); only gets me Class name with memory address.

Edit: maybe this will help. I have to have the student name, gpa, and total credits in the array list (variables in the Student class)

**Norm** · 08-09-2010, 05:31 PM

by printing only studMuffin.name, you are really just printing a string from another class

yes, only the contents of the studMuffin object

If I have multiple studMuffins in the Arraylist "list" how do I roll though and print each out?

use the get method to retrieve each element to process

System.out.println(studMuffin); only gets me Class name with memory address.

See the above posts about adding: public String toString() { return what you want to see here}

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 05:34 PM

"I see" said the blind man. Working on this now.

**Tolls** · 08-09-2010, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

Further explanation.
Student@ca0b6 is what is returned by the Object toString() method. Its the class name followed by its memory location.

<pedant_mode>It's the classname and hashcode.</pedant_mode>

ETA: Just to clarify, I don't think there's anything that says it's the memory address.

**Norm** · 08-09-2010, 05:45 PM

The API doc says:

This is typically implemented by converting the internal address of the object into an integer, but this implementation technique is not required ...

**Tolls** · 08-09-2010, 05:52 PM

"not required".
On top of which, hashCode() is more often overridden than toString().

I did say <pedant>...:)

**Norm** · 08-09-2010, 06:03 PM

Ok, why pick at nits.

BTW FWIT I've overridden toString() 100 times more than hashCode()

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 06:07 PM

I suppose I could rewrite toString(). However, I would be really surprised if that is what she is wanting us to do. Is that the only way to pull data from the Arraylist?

**PhHein** · 08-09-2010, 06:09 PM

No for god's sake, you've successfully pulled the data from the arraylist. You just don't do the same things to print the information. Read my previous post.

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by PhHein

No for god's sake, you've successfully pulled the data from the arraylist. You just don't do the same things to print the information. Read my previous post.

Wow, so much hostility. :eek:

I am sorry that I don't understand it as well as you do. I will do my best to figure it out using your previous post.

**JosAH** · 08-09-2010, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by YeeP

Wow, so much hostility. :eek:

No hostility; it's more like despair.

kind regards,

Jos

**PhHein** · 08-09-2010, 06:23 PM

There was no hostility whatsoever, but you've never posted a different attempt which considers the replies you've been given.

**YeeP** · 08-09-2010, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by PhHein

There was no hostility whatsoever, but you've never posted a different attempt which considers the replies you've been given.

You are right, I did try what I thought you where saying and I was doing it wrong. I did not want to post everything I was doing and waste your time. I am sorry.

Originally Posted by PhHein

String representation of your Student object.

That got me thinking, I know I can print it as a class object. So, I made a for loop, and it seems to be working. Here is what I did to solve the problem of printing. The method is not done yet, but the printing is working and I wanted to show you.

Java Code:

public static void gpaMethod(ArrayList list, int count,
                            PrintWriter outFile)
{   
   for(int i=0; i<list.size();i++)
   {
      Student S = (Student)list.get(i);
      System.out.println("gpaMethod");
      System.out.println("==========");
      System.out.println("Name: " + S.name);
      System.out.println("GPA: " + S.gpa);
      System.out.println("Credits: " + S.hrsPassed);
   }
}

I also tweaked the output in the fillArray method, just so I would know on the System.out side that all was well...

Java Code:

       System.out.println("fillArray");
       System.out.println("=========");
       System.out.println("Name: " + studMuffin.name);
       System.out.println("GPA: " + studMuffin.gpa);
       System.out.println("Credits: " + studMuffin.hrsPassed);

Here is the output:

Java Code:

fillArray
=========
Name: Van Zell David
GPA: 2.0
Credits: 8
fillArray
=========
Name: Toole Nancy
GPA: 2.1578947368421053
Credits: 19
fillArray
=========
Name: Tucker Henry
GPA: 0.20833333333333334
Credits: 24
fillArray
=========
Name: Van Zell Sally
GPA: 0.4117647058823529
Credits: 34
fillArray
=========
Name: Tucker Becky
GPA: 1.2244897959183674
Credits: 49
fillArray
=========
Name: Stratton Charles
GPA: 0.2857142857142857
Credits: 63
fillArray
=========
Name: Toole Charles
GPA: 0.0
Credits: 63
fillArray
=========
Name: Thomas William
GPA: 0.5066666666666667
Credits: 75
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Van Zell David
GPA: 2.0
Credits: 8
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Toole Nancy
GPA: 2.1578947368421053
Credits: 19
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Tucker Henry
GPA: 0.20833333333333334
Credits: 24
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Van Zell Sally
GPA: 0.4117647058823529
Credits: 34
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Tucker Becky
GPA: 1.2244897959183674
Credits: 49
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Stratton Charles
GPA: 0.2857142857142857
Credits: 63
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Toole Charles
GPA: 0.0
Credits: 63
gpaMethod
==========
Name: Thomas William
GPA: 0.5066666666666667
Credits: 75

Thank you to everyone for your help, I really appreciate that. ;) :cool:

**Tolls** · 08-10-2010, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Norm

Ok, why pick at nits.

This is the internet, isn't that what it's for? Pointless discussion about minutiae?
:D

Originally Posted by Norm

BTW FWIT I've overridden toString() 100 times more than hashCode()

Ah, the stuff I tend to work on usually involves object comparisons, so equals() is almost always written, and consequently so is hashCode(). But output is less of a problem.