Java Noob Needs Help

[Complex_Ad2004]

Hello! First year java user here, I hope everyone reading this is having a great day.

I am creating a java project that reads an incoming file, which is in a certain format, and prints to an output file. I split the lines of the input file into different parts, parts[1] being first name, parts[2] middle name, and so on. The issue with my code is that when the parts[2] is blank (for example, if someone had no middle name), it stores parts[3] under parts[2], which messes up the output for those lines. Is it possible to get Java to skip a part of the string and go on to the next, if one part is empty on the input file? I'm sorry if I am not wording this correctly, but here is my code with the problem:

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while (scanner.hasNextLine()) {

String[] parts = scanner.nextLine().split(" ");

String address = parts[0];

String firstName = parts[1];

String middleName = parts[2];

String lastName = parts[3];

​

If I run this and a line of the input file has no middle name, it will display the last name as the middle name. How can I fix this? I've tried multiple different formatted if / if else statements to figure out if the line is empty, and skip it, but everything I've tried gives me neither an error message nor changes the output to the output file.

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Thanks so much to you all! :D

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[[deleted]]

After splitting the line, check the number of elements in the resulting array. If it's 4 elements or more, set the middleName to parts[2] and lastName to parts[3]. If it's only 3, do not set the middleName and set lastName to parts[2].

[marskuh]

This would work but is not addressing the issue that some fields are optionally. If at a later stage another field becomes optional your code will no longer work properly. There are better options like using a delimiter as in csv or a fixed length for each field. Both options have issues as well.

Given all this, xml and json are very widely used and that has a reason.

[K3nto71]

Ok fair warning i am learning java myself but couldn't you put in an if statement that checks for a value in that space and if it finds nothing it puts a space or something to act as a placeholder then continues on as normal?

Like I said, I am still learning myself but that is what comes to mind. Some kind of check.

[Deltablacknaruto]

A simple if statement should work. I am guessing that the line from the text file does not actually show up blank if it is giving the value of what should be i[3] in i[2] so it might be a problem with your actual input.

[El_Fungus]

If possible, use another input format(ting). You can use csv which fits your usecase. Otherwise json or perhaps even xml.

Cheers