I feel like I am on the right track

Question about the task

Expressing ourselves more concisely

Java Syntax, Level 13, Lesson 2

Resolved

I do not understand why

} else if ((t.length() == result.get(0).length()))

and

if ((t.length() < s.length()) && (s.length() != result.get(0).length()))

returns as true when it is not. I have tested my code with: grandfather grandmother daughter program car and grandmother daughter program car bar It will find the shortest string but it will not save multiple strings of the same length. Any assistance would be appreciated

Create a list of strings.
Read 5 strings from the keyboard and add them to the list.
Using a loop, find the shortest string in the list.
Display the string.
If there is more than one, display each on a new line.

Requirements:

Declare a string list variable and immediately initialize it.
The program should read 5 strings from the keyboard and write them to the list.
The program should display the shortest string.
If several strings are the shortest, then you need to display each of them on a new line.

package en.codegym.task.jdk13.task07.task0709; import java.io.BufferedReader; import java.io.InputStreamReader; import java.util.ArrayList; /* Expressing ourselves more concisely */ public class Solution { public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { //write your code here BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in)); ArrayList<String> list = new ArrayList<String>(); for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { String s = reader.readLine(); list.add(s); } ArrayList<String> result = new ArrayList<String>(); result.add(list.get(0)); for (int i = 0; i < list.size(); i++) { String t = list.get(i); byte counter = 0; for (String s : list) { if ((t.length() < s.length()) && (t.length() < result.get(0).length())) { result.remove(0); result.add(0, t); } else if ((t.length() == result.get(0).length())) { for (int j = 0; j < result.size(); j++) { if(!t.equals(result.get(j)) && counter == 0){ result.add(1, t); counter++; } } } } } for (String s : result) { System.out.println(s); } } }

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Thomas

Level 41 , Bayreuth, Germany

8 September 2022, 07:00

useful

Your idea to solve the task is pretty good. But the code is a little bit out of control with three nested loops. Usually the task is solved with first adding the inputs to a container, then you loop over the container and find the minimum length. With that found length you again loop over the container and print all strings with the same length as the found minimum. Your idea is a little bit more complex but not to much. I show you one possibility to approach a pitfall you haven't thought of. I hope you see the problem you made in my code below. I pointed it out in the comments. That one line probably would make your code work and has nothing to do with the conditions.

Thomas

Level 41 , Bayreuth, Germany

8 September 2022, 07:00

solution

// declare the containers
List<String> strings = new ArrayList<>();
LinkedList<String> results = new LinkedList<>(); // just to have the getFirst method, it looks so nice

// add some test strings to the initial list
Collections.addAll(strings,
        "grandfather", "and", "not", "grandmother", "or", "daughter", "program", "car", "in");
// add the first to the results (similar as you did, I just remove the entry from the initial list, but you really
// don't need to... I just can use the while loop that way)
results.add(strings.remove(0));

// now start a loop beginning with the second entry of the strings list (if using a for loop),
// the first is already in the results list
while (strings.size() > 0) {
    String current = strings.remove(0);
    // there are three possible cases regarding lengths :
    // a) current < result -> clear the list and add the new entry
    // b) current == result -> add current to the list, no need for a loop, the prev entries are already checked
    // and longer then the current and the next are still to be tested
    // c) current > result -> we just need to continue, that would be the else clause but we do not need to do
    // anything here just skip
    if (current.length() < results.getFirst().length()) {
        // as you possibly add several objects to the list, it is not enough to remove just the first entry,
        // you need to clear the whole list
        results.clear();
        results.add(current);
    } else if (current.length() == results.getFirst().length()) {
        results.add(current);
    }
}

// output results
results.forEach(System.out::println);

Wyatt Wilhelmi

Level 20 , United States of America, United States

8 September 2022, 14:15

Thanks for your help. I see that I had two too many loops, a lot of unnecessary conditions, and I was starting my loop in the wrong place. You simplified it beautifully.

Thomas

Level 41 , Bayreuth, Germany

8 September 2022, 14:23

useful

I think your code would work if you just replace line 28 with result.clear(); The rest I mentioned is just to make it more efficient and/ or beautiful. So nothing really necessary atm. As said, the idea behind it is good.