created 05/27/03

Exercise 1 --- Input File Prompt

Write a class with a main() method that asks the user for the name of the input file to be read by the program. In a practical program, the name would then be used to access a disk file (see Part 10 of these notes.) But for this program just gather the file name.

The file name must be in the correct format. File names consist of two parts, a name and an extension. The name must not contain spaces. The extension must be ".dat" (for "data"). The user is repeatedly asked for a file name until it meets the requirement.

C:\>java filePrompt
input file: glarch
>>>file name must end with .dat<<<
input file: my file.dat
>>>file name must not contain spaces<<<
input file:  .dat
>>>file name missing<<<
input file: myData.dat
OK

C:\>

Use methods of the String class to manipulate the user's input. Another approach is the use the class StringTokenizer, a subject of a future chapter.

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Exercise 2 --- Improved Square Root Program

Improve the first version of the square root program of the chapter by repeatedly prompting the user until the number that is entered is positive.

Do this by inserting a nested do/while inside the loop body of the do/while that asks if the user wishes to continue.

Improve program so that the user must respond exactly with "yes" or "no".

C:\>java squareRoot
Enter a number--> -3
>>>number must be positive<<<
Enter a number--> 3
Square root of 3.0 is 1.7320508075688772
Do you wish to continue (yes or no)? na
>>>Please respond with (yes or no)<<<
Do you wish to continue (yes or no)? no
Bye
C:\>

In this program the main purpose, computing and printing the square root, is easily done in a few statements. However, the user interaction calls for some fairly complicated logic. This imbalance is typical of user friendly programs.

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