[AaronHopkins]

I have to create a program that allows the user to input coordinates onto a 5x5 2D array in order to locate & destroy a hidden enemy ship. The game begins with a board like this:

     A B C D E
    1 - - - - -
    2 - - - - -
    3 - - - - -
    4 - - - - -
    5 - - - - -

I then have to randomly assign a 2x2 enemy ship without displaying it on the board (right now I'm using a second array to hold the location, unless there is an easier way). The user then fires a shot by specifying the row (1-5) & column (A-E) values. If the shot hits the enemy ship, then a '*' is displayed in that location. If it doesn't hit, then an 'x' is displayed in that location. What I'm having trouble with is:
1. I'm not sure if I'm correctly randomly assigning the enemy ship correctly.
2. The user is supposed to enter the column letter, but I don't know how to convert that from int.
3. I'm confused in how to compare the user's input with the array of the enemy ship to see if it was a hit or not.

Here is my code thus far:

import java.util.Scanner;

public class assignment17 {
	static Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		System.out.println("     A B C D E");
		System.out.println("    1 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    2 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    3 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    4 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    5 - - - - -");
		
		final int ROWS = 6;
		final int COLS = 6;
		char [] [] values = { {' ', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E'},
							 {'1', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'2','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'3','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'4','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'5','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'}};
        for (int row = 0; row < ROWS; row++) {
            for (int col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
            	System.out.print(" " + values[row][col]);
            }
            System.out.println("\n");
        }



		final int shipROW = 2;
		final int shipCOL = 2;
		int [] [] shipValues = new int [(int)Math.random() * values.length][(int)Math.random() * values[0].length];
		
		System.out.println("Enter a Row Number: ");
		int guessRow = in.nextInt();
		System.out.println("Enter a Column Letter: ");
		int guessColumn = in.nextInt();

		//I am having problem with this if statement
		if ([guessRow][guessColumn] = shipValues){
			  values [guessRow][guessColumn] = '*';
			  System.out.println("hit");
		        for (int row = 0; row < ROWS; row++) {
		            for (int col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
		            	System.out.print(" " + values[row][col]);
		            }
		            System.out.println("\n");
		        }
		}else{
			values [guessRow][guessColumn] = 'x';
			System.out.println("miss");
	        for (int row = 0; row < ROWS; row++) {
	            for (int col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
	            	System.out.print(" " + values[row][col]);
	            }
	            System.out.println("\n");
	        }
			}
	}
}

[pbl]

First noneed to have

		System.out.println("     A B C D E");
		System.out.println("    1 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    2 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    3 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    4 - - - - -");
		System.out.println("    5 - - - - -");

and this

		char [] [] values = { {' ', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E'},
							 {'1', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'2','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'3','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'4','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'5','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'}};

Use only the second one as it is the one you will modify and reprint anyhow. The first one is useless

[AaronHopkins]

Ok. Thank you, but from there on how do I go about fixing the problems I have?

[AaronHopkins]

i got rid of the first one & am now only using the second one.

[pbl]

this is NOt a valid Java statement

if ([guessRow][guessColumn] = shipValues){

[guessRow][guessColumn]

are referencing an array row/column

so it should be

(someArray[guessRow][guessColumn]

the = operator cannot be used in a if statment should be == for testing for equality

if (someArray[guessRow][guessColumn] == shipValues){

[AaronHopkins]

That is the problem i'm having because the array i have is in the char form, but the shipValues is in the int form so I am completely lost in where i go from there.

[pbl]

AaronHopkins, on 03 April 2011 - 09:47 PM, said:

That is the problem i'm having because the array i have is in the char form, but the shipValues is in the int form so I am completely lost in where i go from there.

Java will automatically convert char to int if you used them in int operations

so you shouln;t worry about it

[AaronHopkins]

Ok so i have this now:

		int [] [] values = { {' ', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E'},
							 {'1', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'2','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'3','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'4','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'},
							 {'5','-', '-', '-', '-', '-'}};
        for (int row = 0; row < ROWS; row++) {
            for (int col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
            	System.out.print(" " + values[row][col]);
            }
            System.out.println("\n");
        }



		final int shipROW = 2;
		final int shipCOL = 2;
		int [] [] shipValues = new int [(int)Math.random() * values.length][(int)Math.random() * values[0].length];
		
		System.out.println("Enter a Row Number: ");
		int guessRow = in.nextInt();
		System.out.println("Enter a Column Letter: ");
		int guessColumn = in.nextInt();

		//I am having problem with this if statement
		if (values[guessRow][guessColumn] == shipValues){

& it's giving me an error with this:

if (values[guessRow][guessColumn] == shipValues){

saying it's incompatible operand types int and int[][]

[AaronHopkins]

to make sure, am i assigning the random location for the enemy ship correctly?

[pbl]

shipValues is declared here as a int[][]:

int [][] shipValues = new int [(int)Math.random() * values.length][(int)

how can you compare the value of an int[][] like in this statement ???

if (values[guessRow][guessColumn] == shipValues){

[AaronHopkins]

I see what you're telling me is wrong, but I'm not quite exactly sure how to fix it since I'm not sure if I'm assigning the random location correctly.

[macosxnerd101]

The int[][] values just stores the display. That is it. When a ship is hit, update the corresponding position in values.

I'm not exactly sure why the enemy's array is of random length and width. I get that you want to randomize the ships in the enemy's grid, but it should still be of the same dimmensions as the board.

Quote

I then have to randomly assign a 2x2 enemy ship without displaying it on the board (right now I'm using a second array to hold the location, unless there is an easier way)

After reading this from your OP, I would suggest designing a Ship class to encapsulate the top-left coordinate of the ship, as well as the numRows and numCols it occupies. If you continue to expand on this project, a Ship class will make your life a whole lot easier when managing multiple Ships.

Basically, this is the basis of what I would do:

class Ship{
    private int x, y; //the (x,y) coordinate for the top-left point of the ship
    private int width, height; //the dimmensions of the ship

    public Ship(){
       x = y = 0;
       width = height = 1;
    }

    public Ship(int x, int y, int width, int height){
       this.x = x;
       this.y = y;
       this.width = width;
       this.height = height;
    }
}

Now all you have to do is check to see if the selected coordinate falls within the bounds of the ship.

If you don't like the class design option, then I would just store the x and y coordinate of the top-left corner of the enemy ship. You know it's a 2x2, so no need for the additional int[][] shipValues.

Hope this helps some.

[AaronHopkins]

i think i will pass on the class option, but thank you though, but i'm not quite understanding the storing of the x & y & how it's randomized?

[macosxnerd101]

Let's examine a 5x5 grid. You want to store a 2x2 ship within this 5x5 grid. Since I'm suggesting storing the top-left coordinate only, the X cells represent valid locations. If you try to store the top-left coordinate in any of the spaces with a - sign, you will go outside of the grid. Do you see why?

|X|X|X|X|-|
|X|X|X|X|-|
|X|X|X|X|-|
|X|X|X|X|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|

So to store the random coordinate, both the x and y coordinates must be between 0 and 3 inclusive. As an example, if my point is (2,3), then my ship takes the spots (2,3)(2,4)(3,3)(3,4) b/c it is a 2x2.

Does this help some?

[AaronHopkins]

i kind of see it, but i have no idea on how to come about in coding and storing. like how do i even randomize the ship?