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In this video, we will expand on what we've learned to allow to prompt for multiple variables and use them in a single formatted String.
Additional Info
- The official Mad Libs site. Download the app!
- A Stack Exchange article about logic on the command line.
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[MUSIC]
0:00
Now that we know how to take input and
output it into our formatted text,
0:04
we're ready to get started on
this MadLibs like program.
0:08
By the end of the stage,
we'll have a working prototype.
0:12
First, let's review the main
concept of this program.
0:16
The way Mad Libs works in real life
is two people get together and
0:19
one of them has a book.
0:23
Each page of the book has a story that
has blank lines that have types of words
0:24
such as adjective, noun, verb, etc.
0:29
The narrator asks the person for
each of those types of words and
0:32
fills in the blanks with the word that
was suggested by the other player.
0:35
The story is then read with the new
words in it and hilarity into it..
0:39
So we can do that right.
0:43
No problem.
0:45
Now one thing I want to show you is
how to include more than one variable
0:46
into a formatted string.
0:49
Are you ready?
0:51
Let's dive back into work spaces.
0:52
We're going to launch a new
workspace with a new starting point.
0:54
Now don't worry.
0:57
Your work from the previous day stage is
saved and you can get back to it later.
0:58
Please click the Launch Workspaces button.
1:01
All right,
I've added a new starter file for
1:04
you that has a new starting point or
boilerplate that we're going to be using.
1:06
I've named the program TreeStory.
1:10
So let's open up TreeStory.java.
1:12
The first thing I wanna show you right
off about here is a multiline comment.
1:16
When you wanna group a section of comments
together, you can work a whole block of
1:21
comments by surrounding them using
a forward slash and then an asterisk.
1:24
And then you end that, when you're done
with your comments, with an asterisk and
1:29
then a forward slash.
1:32
I have left us some notes here about
1:33
parts of speech in case it's been awhile
since we thought about that sort of stuff.
1:36
So like I said, because there's going
to be multiple blanks to fill and
1:39
we're going to need to learn how to insert
multiple variables into our format string.
1:42
Well this turns out to be super easy.
1:46
So first we need to gather a couple
of variables like we did before.
1:49
Let's grab their name.
1:52
So again, to do that
1:53
they say we declare a variable
string name equals console.readline.
1:55
And then we put in what we're looking for
enter your name.
2:00
Put a couple spaces.
2:06
And then of course the semi-colon,
2:08
then we need to do the same thing for
the adjectives.
2:11
So we say String, it's a String adjective.
2:13
You know what,
why don't you pause the video or air and
2:15
see if you can finish the rest of the line
and then un-pause it and check and
2:19
see if what you got was
the same as what I did.
2:22
Sound good?
2:24
Okay.
So I'm going to write equals console.readLine,
2:26
enter an adjective.
2:30
And I get only a couple spaces.
2:34
The printf method on console
takes multiple parameters.
2:39
I had stated before the arguments
are separated by commas.
2:42
So let's take a look at
what this might look like.
2:44
So we'll start with our
usual console.printf and
2:47
we'll pass it the string, %s.
2:53
Is very %s.
2:56
And so the first %s
there is gonna be our name.
3:01
And the second one that we
want to do is the adjective.
3:03
So again it will be
name is very adjective.
3:07
All right let's give that a go.
3:11
One trick I wanted to show
you while we’re here,
3:13
you might not know while it’s
on the command line yet.
3:14
But if you do each command, and
then follow it with double ampersands,
3:16
they run in order until one fails.
3:20
So since we keep typing in
the same thing, let's just type that
3:23
on some one line.
3:25
Let's try it.
3:26
So when I say clear and we're gonna do
the compiler which is javac and the name
3:29
of the program which is Tree Story that
Java their way to do another and then do.
3:35
Okay, so again, so what's going to
happen is it's going to run clear and
3:45
if that works.
3:49
It's going to run the compiler and if
that works then it will run the program.
3:50
One thing to do,
always gotta remember to save.
3:54
So it's saved.
3:58
Here we go..When I press enter there we
go, it cleared the screen it compiled and
3:59
now it's running the program so we're
going to enter your name and say Dave.
4:04
Smart.
4:08
Dave is very smart.
4:10
Now having learned how to add multiple
variables to a format string,
4:13
I'm pretty confident that
you have all the skills
4:17
that you'll need to complete
our tree story prototype.
4:20
Now before we kick off and start
building out our own story templates.
4:23
I thought we'd swing over to an exercise.
4:27
And after you ace that one,
4:29
let's talk quickly about what
to do when you encounter errors.
4:31
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