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Java Java Basics Getting Started with Java IO

Posted by Justin Rose
Justin Rose
12,842 Points

challenge task 3 of IO.java " console print f problems

I cannot figure out how to print out the firstname and the users first name. is there a error in the question? iv'e been on this for 3 hours and still can't get it someone please show me

thanks Justin

Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points
Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points

Can you please post the code for your latest attempt?

Justin Rose
Justin Rose
12,842 Points

Hi logan

i found the code that i needed, console.printf("Firstname: %s", firstName);

thanks logan

Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points
Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points

Glad you did :) Do you understand what that code does?

Justin Rose
Justin Rose
12,842 Points

Im still a little confused. Im sure its so you dont have to change every name in the code.

1 Answer

Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points
Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points

Printf means print formatted. It formats the string. So if you have a list and you want it to look pretty, you can provide auto white space so everything is aligned right. You can also format floats/doubles so they only show the first two decimal places, for example.

Printf takes "2" arguments (It actually takes in unlimited, but there are 2 main components). The string to be formatted, and everything to be updated. So say we had a name and a float:

String name = "Gameboy";
float weight = 12.405848459083405830485034856;

System.out.printf("The %s weighs %.2f pounds", name, weight);

The following would say "The Gameboy weighs 12.40 pounds."

I hope this makes printf a tad bit more clear.