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Java Java Basics Perfecting the Prototype Censoring Words - Looping Until the Value Passes

Valerie Burton
Valerie Burton
602 Points
Posted by Valerie Burton
Valerie Burton
602 Points

Why can't String variable = console.ReadLine(""); be placed outside the code block?

For example, the video explains that this is the proper way to declare the variable outside the code block due to scope:

String adjective;
do {
    adjective = console.readLine("Enter an adjective:  ");
if (adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("stupid") ||
    adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("dumb")) {
console.printf("That language is not allowed. Please try again. \n \n");
}
} while(adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("stupid") ||
        adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("dumb"));
console.printf("%s is a %s %s! \n \n", name, adjective, noun);

However, when I tried this instead:

String adjective = console.readLine("Enter an adjective:  ");
do {
if (adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("stupid") ||
    adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("dumb")) {
console.printf("That language is not allowed. Please try again. \n \n");
}
} while(adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("stupid") ||
        adjective.equalsIgnoreCase("dumb"));
console.printf("%s is a %s %s! \n \n", name, adjective, noun);

(sorry I don't know how to format the code properly in here)

I got "That language is not allowed. Please try again." repeated infinitely in the console. Any idea why it does this? I am new to coding. Thank you

1 Answer

Jennifer Nordell
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STAFF
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Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacher
Jennifer Nordell
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacher

When the console.ReadLine runs it asks for your input. If you put it outside the block, it will only ask for it once. Which means the value assigned to the variable will never change. Let's say you have console.ReadLine outside the while block and you read in "dumb". Because the answer is now dumb it will continually cause the loop to repeat over... and over... and over because there's no code in there to ask the user to put in something besides "dumb". That's why we put it inside the loop to give the user a chance to input something else.