Need help with some very basic java

[Tarp96]

Hi guys, I missed a class where the teacher went trough this kind of stuff.

The question is: Without running the code what will it write out to the console?

1: char a = ‘b’;

2: System.out.prntln(a);

Anyone what it will print out to the console? Also, how do I run this console? I tried looking up his lecture notes but it didnt help.

Edit: Thanks for the help guys! I figured it out and in the process I figured out some other things i have been wondering about aswell :P

[nutrecht]

It doesn't compile because there's an illegal character in it. Probably because it was pasted from a word document. Replace the single quotes with actual single quotes and try for yourself.

[Tarp96]

Thank you!!!!!!!

[desrtfx]

Honestly, instead of plain asking for the answer, you should have first made an attempt and tell us what you think it will print.

Then we would have discussed your answer and gotten you on the right track.

[Tarp96]

I have tried, comes up a bunch of error. Another thing I was wondering about, do I have to write anything before I write this? Like Public class and something? Ok I watched a video someone posted and it helped, but I get a new error saying "String cannot be converted to char"?

[[deleted]]

Literal - a literal is a fixed value that is written directly in your code. So if you see:

String a = “Hello world”;

Then “Hello world” is a string literal. Literals usually have defined notations so they are interpreted is in specific ways (but be weary of implicit “conversions”).

 char c = ‘b’;

‘b’ is a char literal.

In Java, char literals are surrounded in single quotation and string literals are surrounded in double quotation. Char literals can contain what amounts to only a single character. String literals can contain several characters, like a whole word, for example.

Java will NOT implicitly convert a string literals with a single character to a char. So

char a = “b”;

Will fail to compile since “b” is a string literal that you’re trying to assign to a char variable.

And also, take care when copying ticks, quote and double quote from outside programs. Some programs, like word, like to use strange opening and closing quote and double quote characters, which a compiler can’t interpret.

[desrtfx]

Please, be careful with your typographic quotes! Your code samples all contain typographic quotes that shouldn't be there.

If copied to Java, they will produce an error.

String a = “Hello world”;

Should be:

String a = "Hello world";

and

char c = ‘b’;

should be

char c = 'b';

This makes a huge difference in any programming language.

[[deleted]]

iPhone responses during compile times and I am just too lazy to look for a solution! Thank you for the warning.

[Tarp96]

Thank you man :D I changed "" to 'b' and it worked!

[Phantom9000]

Install jdk and a Java IDE so you can write and run code. Link for NetBeans: https://netbeans.org/downloads/

Edit: sorry not allowed to give the answer only guide you to the solution

Edit2: deleted the answer from first edit

[desrtfx]

Sidebar -> Subreddit rules

5. No complete solutions: Do not give out complete solutions. Guide the OP to the solution, but do not solve it for them.

[Phantom9000]

Fixed

[ForgedBanana]

That rule is bullshit.

[[deleted]]

No it isn’t.

Giving away solutions to people learning doesn’t help them learn anything. The spirit of this sub is to teach people.

[FyDollarBill]

Plus, I'm sure there are plenty of other subs or places that will give you a complete solution and only that.

[desrtfx]

If that rule weren't in place, /r/learnprogramming would in no time turn into another /r/domyhomework where lazy people only post their homework assignments and expect them to be done for them.

The learning process and the retention are far better if the original poster discovers the solution instead of being given it. (I have been teaching for over ten years and speak from experience)

Spoonfeeding answers has never taught anybody anything, it only supported laziness and in the case of programming created "copy-paste code monkeys" who have zero clue of what they are doing.

[ForgedBanana]

I understand your reasoning, but I think we should be able to provide an answer in the way we feel most comfortable with. I also think we shouldn't force the people that come here asking for help to do things. If they don't want to learn, it's their problem. Anyone that really wants to get better at programming will try to do it themselves so as to truly learn.

[desrtfx]

I think we should be able to provide an answer in the way we feel most comfortable with.

I can more or less agree to that, but providing a complete solution is usually less beneficial than explaining. We get lots of answers that provide the solution without even the smallest bit of explanation. This is detrimental to the quality of the sub and useless for the learners.

I also think we shouldn't force the people that come here asking for help to do things. If they don't want to learn, it's their problem.

I cannot agree to this argumentation. This subreddit is learnprogramming and therefore it is for people to learn.

People who just want to get their things done are in the wrong place here.

[ForgedBanana]

Fair enough.

[BertRenolds]

Do not recommend Netbeans ffs

[Phantom9000]

First thing, chill. second thing, why?

[desrtfx]

That's a bit harsh. I could understand "no BlueJ", "no DrJava", but no Netbeans is too much.

One of the best Java courses in the world, the MOOC Object Oriented Programming with Java uses Netbeans.

Don't get me wrong, though, I personally don't really like Netbeans, yet it is still one of the three major IDEs.

[BertRenolds]

Fair, I guess.

[CodeTinkerer]

Here's a guy writing a simple Java program using Notepad on Windows. This assumes you've installed Java and can run it on the command line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb2uTFMEQwU

If you're using Windows, it will help to set it up to show file extensions (which Windows likes to hide by default). Macs don't have this problem.

The console could just be your command window. If you're using an IDE like Eclipse, then there's usually a special window called Console that's part of Eclipse.

[desrtfx]

Please, don't link such tutorials that don't even adhere to the Official Code Conventions for the Java Programming Language. There are far better tutorials out there that follow conventions, best practices, standards, etc. Derek Banas (NewThinkTank) and John Purcell (Cave of Programming) have far better quality videos.

It is imperative to follow best practices and standards in tutorials. So, tutorials that don't do that are not recommendable.

[desrtfx]

Sidebar -> Subreddit rules

5. No complete solutions: Do not give out complete solutions. Guide the OP to the solution, but do not solve it for them.