[xiphias]

I would like to create an ArrayList from data types stored in a text file.
The ArrayList would be multidimensional with four data types; String, String, int, float.
The text file format may vary. I simply need to store the programs data in text files.

Example text file could be:

Item-Number Description Shipping-Weight(kg) Price
MHDD1T Maxtor, 1 terabyte 3 120.00
XVTSV60 Vizio, 60 inch HDTV 40 1200.00

I would use other text file to store sales tax, shipping rate etc...

I know how to do with single data type (String) however for multiple data types i don't see how its possible. I simply would like to know if its possible and some advice as to how to go about doing it.

Thanks

[xiphias]

That should be :

Item-Number   Description          Shipping-Weight(kg)  Price
MHDD1T        Maxtor, 1 terabyte     3                   120.00 
XVTSV60       Vizio, 60 inch HDTV    40                 1200.00[list]

[blackcompe]

Use legacy collections.

class Test {

    static List<ArrayList> table = new ArrayList<ArrayList>();

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        ArrayList row1 = new ArrayList();
        row1.add(new String(""));
        row1.add(new Float(1f));
        table.add(row1);
    }
}

You'll have to cast carefully. Another alternative it use generic collections where you store each element as a string. Then, try to parse each element as a float or integer to tell what is what.

This post has been edited by blackcompe: 06 March 2012 - 09:02 PM

[pbl]

The real best approach is to write a class that hold all the info and use an ArrayList of that class

macosxnerd101 wrote a tutorial about that
http://www.dreaminco...arallel-arrays/

[xiphias]

This is how i attempted to do it

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

public class ReadItems
{
	
		private Scanner input;
		ArrayList<Item> item = new ArrayList<Item>();
		
		//open text file
		public void openFile()
		{
			try
			{
				input = new Scanner( new File("Items.txt"));
			}
			catch( FileNotFoundException fileNotFound)
			{
				System.err.println( "Error opening file.");
				System.exit(1);
			}
		}
		
		//read file
		public void readFile()
		{
			try
			{
				while ( input.hasNext())
				{
					item.add( new Item(input.next(), input.next(), input.nextInt(), input.nextFloat() ));								        
			        for (Item list : item) 
			        {
			            System.out.printf("%-10s%-48s$%5.2f\n", list.getCode(), (list.getDecription()+ ", "+ list.getWeight()+ "g"), + list.getPrice());
			        }
			        
				}
					
			}
			catch ( NoSuchElementException elementEx)
			{
				System.err.println( "Incorrect file format.");
				System.exit(1);
			}
			catch ( IllegalStateException stateEx )
			{
				System.err.println( "Error reading from file.");
				System.exit(1);
			}
			
		}
		
		public void closeFile()
		{
			if (input != null)
				input.close();		
		}
	
}

public class TestReadItems
{

public static void main(String[] args) 
    {
	ReadItems application = new ReadItems();
	application.openFile();
	application.readFile();
	application.closeFile();
	}
}

I'm getting the Incorrect file format exception. Maybe its time i use a tokenizer. Base on what you guys are saying i'm not sure if my approach is correct though.

[blackcompe]

Are you trying to read the file header too? You file shouldn't have that.

Quote

Item-Number Description Shipping-Weight(kg) Price

You should get rid of the commas in your file too.

item.add( new Item(input.next(), input.next(), input.nextInt(), input.nextFloat() ));                       

There are five elements per line, yet you're parsing only 4.

Quote

MHDD1T Maxtor, 1 terabyte 3 120.00

This post has been edited by blackcompe: 06 March 2012 - 10:25 PM

[xiphias]

pbl, on 06 March 2012 - 09:57 PM, said:

The real best approach is to write a class that hold all the info and use an ArrayList of that class

macosxnerd101 wrote a tutorial about that
http://www.dreaminco...arallel-arrays/

That's the stipulation of the assignment, data has to be stored in text files.

blackcompe, on 06 March 2012 - 10:25 PM, said:

I have file without commas for now until i establish a tokenizer.
i have like so

MHDD1T Maxtor 3 120.00
.

I have file without commas for now until i establish a tokenizer.
i have like so

MHDD1T Maxtor 3 120.00
.
.

[blackcompe]

Maybe this will help:

import java.util.Scanner;

class Test {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String src = "one,   two,three";
        Scanner lexer = new Scanner(src);
        while (lexer.hasNextLine()) {
            String[] tokens = lexer.nextLine().split(",");
            Item i = new Item(tokens[0].trim(), tokens[1].trim(), tokens[2].trim());
            System.out.println(i);
        }

    }
}

class Item {

    String a, b, c;

    Item(String a, String b, String c) {
        this.a = a;
        this.b = b;
        this.c = c;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return "Item [a=" + a + ", b=" + b + ", c=" + c + "]";
    }

}

[xiphias]

The thing is i'm going to do calculations with the weight and price in the program that's why i need them to be int and float respectively. I can't escape casting can i.

[blackcompe]

Use Integer.parseInt to create an integer from a string. The float equivalent is Float.parseFloat.

[xiphias]

blackcompe, on 06 March 2012 - 10:40 PM, said:

Maybe this will help:

import java.util.Scanner;

class Test {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String src = "one,   two,three";
        Scanner lexer = new Scanner(src);
        while (lexer.hasNextLine()) {
            String[] tokens = lexer.nextLine().split(",");
            Item i = new Item(tokens[0].trim(), tokens[1].trim(), tokens[2].trim());
            System.out.println(i);
        }

    }
}

class Item {

    String a, b, c;

    Item(String a, String b, String c) {
        this.a = a;
        this.b = b;
        this.c = c;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return "Item [a=" + a + ", b=" + b + ", c=" + c + "]";
    }

}

I am not to familiar with this, i will look into this.

Thanks

[pbl]

class Item {  
     String a, b, c;  
     Item(String a, String b, String c) {  
        this.a = a;  

means

class Item {  
     String a <-- this is a instance variable, b, c;  
     Item(String a <-- this a parameter to the constructor, String b, String c) {  
        this.a = a;  

this.a = a; means

set to the a instance variable the value of the a parameter to the constructor
so the equivalent of

class Item {  
     String MyA, b, c;  
     Item(String a, String b, String c) {  
        MyA = a;  

[xiphias]

pbl, on 06 March 2012 - 11:01 PM, said:

class Item {  
     String a, b, c;  
     Item(String a, String b, String c) {  
        this.a = a;  

means

class Item {  
     String a <-- this is a instance variable, b, c;  
     Item(String a <-- this a parameter to the constructor, String b, String c) {  
        this.a = a;  

this.a = a; means

set to the a instance variable the value of the a parameter to the constructor
so the equivalent of

class Item {  
     String MyA, b, c;  
     Item(String a, String b, String c) {  
        MyA = a;  

When i said 'this' i meant the English word this
I was really referring to the tokenizing method, thanks though.

[xiphias]

Can someone tell me why my output is being duplicated:

Output with printf:

MHDD1T    Maxtor, 1 terabyte, 2kg                         $120.00
MHDD1T    Maxtor, 1 terabyte, 2kg                         $120.00
XVTSV60   Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, 50kg                       $1200.00
MHDD1T    Maxtor, 1 terabyte, 2kg                         $120.00
XVTSV60   Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, 50kg                       $1200.00
FX6860    Gateway, Gaming Desktop, Black, 20kg            $1100.00

Output of ArrayList:

[Item{code=MHDD1T, decription=Maxtor, 1 terabyte, weight=2, price=120.0}]
[Item{code=MHDD1T, decription=Maxtor, 1 terabyte, weight=2, price=120.0}, Item{code=XVTSV60, decription=Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, weight=50, price=1200.0}]
[Item{code=MHDD1T, decription=Maxtor, 1 terabyte, weight=2, price=120.0}, Item{code=XVTSV60, decription=Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, weight=50, price=1200.0}]
[Item{code=MHDD1T, decription=Maxtor, 1 terabyte, weight=2, price=120.0}, Item{code=XVTSV60, decription=Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, weight=50, price=1200.0}, Item{code=FX6860, decription=Gateway, Gaming Desktop, Black, weight=20, price=1100.0}]
[Item{code=MHDD1T, decription=Maxtor, 1 terabyte, weight=2, price=120.0}, Item{code=XVTSV60, decription=Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, weight=50, price=1200.0}, Item{code=FX6860, decription=Gateway, Gaming Desktop, Black, weight=20, price=1100.0}]
[Item{code=MHDD1T, decription=Maxtor, 1 terabyte, weight=2, price=120.0}, Item{code=XVTSV60, decription=Vizio, 60 inch HDTV, weight=50, price=1200.0}, Item{code=FX6860, decription=Gateway, Gaming Desktop, Black, weight=20, price=1100.0}]

Here is my edited code

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

public class ReadItems
{
	
		private Scanner input;
		ArrayList<Item> item = new ArrayList<Item>();
		
		//open text file
		public void openFile()
		{
			try
			{
				FileReader in = new FileReader("Items.txt");
				input = new Scanner(in).useDelimiter("\\s\\s+");
			}
			catch( FileNotFoundException fileNotFound)
			{
				System.err.println( "Error opening file.");
				System.exit(1);
			}
		}
		
		//read file
		public void readFile()
		{
			try
			{
				while ( input.hasNextLine())
				{
					item.add( new Item(input.next(), input.next(), input.nextInt(), input.nextFloat() ));								        
			        for (Item list : item) 
			        {
			            System.out.printf("%-10s%-48s$%5.2f\n", list.getCode(), (list.getDecription()+ ", "+ list.getWeight()+ "kg"), + list.getPrice());
			        	//System.out.println(item);
			        }
			        input.nextLine();      
				}
					
			}
			catch ( NoSuchElementException elementEx)
			{
				System.err.println( "Incorrect file format.");
				System.exit(1);
			}
			catch ( IllegalStateException stateEx )
			{
				System.err.println( "Error reading from file.");
				System.exit(1);
			}
			
		}
		
		public void closeFile()
		{
			if (input != null)
				input.close();		
		}
	
}

Sample text:

MHDD1T        Maxtor, 1 terabyte               2                   120.00 
XVTSV60       Vizio, 60 inch HDTV              50                 1200.00
FX6860        Gateway, Gaming Desktop, Black   20                 1100.00

[xiphias]

Figured this out, thanks.