Arrays and Recursion

An array containting strings of actual written code needs to be formatted. I'm not sure how to even recursively call a method so it prints the contents of an array, let alone format it's text. Not sure if I even put my methods together properly. The code only prints the first index value of the array, no recursion takes place, and the counter variable value isn't increasing. How do I recursively call the method? Can anyone help?

public static void indent(String[] code){

int counter = 0;
String spaces = " ";

System.out.print(indent(code, counter++, spaces));
}

public static String indent(String[] code, int counter, String spaces){

String tmpStr1,
tmpStr2;

if(counter == 0){
return code[counter];
}

tmpStr1 = code[counter - 1];
tmpStr2 = code[counter];

if(tmpStr1.charAt(tmpStr1.length() - 1) == '{' && counter < code.length - 1){
code[counter] = spaces + tmpStr2;
}

return code[counter];

}

}

Comments

  • : An array containting strings of actual written code needs to be formatted. I'm not sure how to even recursively call a method so it prints the contents of an array, let alone format it's text. Not sure if I even put my methods together properly. The code only prints the first index value of the array, no recursion takes place, and the counter variable value isn't increasing. How do I recursively call the method? Can anyone help?
    :
    : public static void indent(String[] code){
    :
    : int counter = 0;
    : String spaces = " ";
    :
    : System.out.print(indent(code, counter++, spaces));
    : }
    :
    : public static String indent(String[] code, int counter, String spaces){
    :
    : String tmpStr1,
    : tmpStr2;
    :
    : if(counter == 0){
    : return code[counter];
    : }
    :
    : tmpStr1 = code[counter - 1];
    : tmpStr2 = code[counter];
    :
    : if(tmpStr1.charAt(tmpStr1.length() - 1) == '{' && counter < code.length - 1){
    : code[counter] = spaces + tmpStr2;
    : }
    :
    : return code[counter];
    :
    : }
    :
    : }
    :
    Recursions and arrays is quite simple. A recursive function calls itself until a certain condition is met. In case of an array the condition is nearly always the end of the array. In pseudo-code it looks something like this:
    [code]
    recurseExample(Array a, int counter) {
    if (counter < a.length) {
    Do something with a[counter]
    recurseExample(a, counter++); // recursiveness
    } else {
    // a[counter] is invalid, since counter >= a.length
    }
    }
    [/code]
    This example "walks" through the array from some point to the end. For example:
    [code]
    recurseExample(a, 2);
    [/code]
    processes the array from the third element to the last.
    The statement "Do something with a[counter]" can be calls to another method, which performs the processing, or it can be code included in the if-then statement.
    Here is a full working example of a recursive function:
    [code]
    int recursiveSum(int[] numbers, int index) {
    int result;
    if (index < numbers.length) {
    result = numbers[index]; // processing
    result = result + recursiveSum(numbers, index++); // recursive call
    } else {
    result = 0
    }
    return result;
    }
    [/code]
  • Here's the code I have so far. It does what it's supposed to do, I did have a bit of help with it. Could I get anyones opinion? Also one question about arrays and recursion. Is it even possible to get rid of a for loop (when it comes to printing index values of an array), and get the values of an array to print to screen using recursion?

    [code]
    import javax.swing.JOptionPane;

    public class Recursion {

    public static void main (String args[]){

    String[] code = {
    "public class Test {",
    "public static void main(String[] args) {",
    "String s = "Countdown: ";",
    "",
    "for (int i = 1; i <= 20; i++) {",
    "System.out.print(i);",
    "if (i < 20) {",
    "System.out.print(",")",
    "}",
    "System.out.print("...")",
    "}",
    "",
    "System.out.println();",
    "}",
    "}"
    };

    for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    System.out.println(code[i]);
    }

    System.out.println("===");

    code = indent(code,0,0);

    for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    System.out.println(code[i]);
    }
    }


    public static String[] indent(String[] code, int counter, int spaces){

    String pad = "";

    if(code[counter].length() == 0){
    counter++;
    }

    if(code[counter].charAt(0) == '}'){

    spaces -=3;

    }

    for(int i = 0; i < spaces; i++){

    pad +=" ";

    }

    code[counter] = pad + code[counter];

    if(code[counter].charAt(code[counter].length() - 1) == '{'){

    spaces +=3;

    }

    if(counter < code.length-1) indent(code,counter+1,spaces);
    return code;

    }
    }
    [/code]

    Zibadian,

    I also wanted to thank you for all of your help, i'm not sure if you've realised that you have helped me before, a couple of months ago, many times. I wasn't able to voice my appreciation because I was out of the country for some time. But I really appreciate all the help you have given me, and value your opinion when it comes to code I write. Thanks again, and i'm sure i'll have some posts in the future and hope to hear back from you. Hope you get this.

  • : Here's the code I have so far. It does what it's supposed to do, I did have a bit of help with it. Could I get anyones opinion? Also one question about arrays and recursion. Is it even possible to get rid of a for loop (when it comes to printing index values of an array), and get the values of an array to print to screen using recursion?
    :
    : [code]
    : import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
    :
    : public class Recursion {
    :
    : public static void main (String args[]){
    :
    : String[] code = {
    : "public class Test {",
    : "public static void main(String[] args) {",
    : "String s = "Countdown: ";",
    : "",
    : "for (int i = 1; i <= 20; i++) {",
    : "System.out.print(i);",
    : "if (i < 20) {",
    : "System.out.print(",")",
    : "}",
    : "System.out.print("...")",
    : "}",
    : "",
    : "System.out.println();",
    : "}",
    : "}"
    : };
    :
    : for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    : System.out.println(code[i]);
    : }
    :
    : System.out.println("===");
    :
    : code = indent(code,0,0);
    :
    : for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    : System.out.println(code[i]);
    : }
    : }
    :
    :
    : public static String[] indent(String[] code, int counter, int spaces){
    :
    : String pad = "";
    :
    : if(code[counter].length() == 0){
    : counter++;
    : }
    :
    : if(code[counter].charAt(0) == '}'){
    :
    : spaces -=3;
    :
    : }
    :
    : for(int i = 0; i < spaces; i++){
    :
    : pad +=" ";
    :
    : }
    :
    : code[counter] = pad + code[counter];
    :
    : if(code[counter].charAt(code[counter].length() - 1) == '{'){
    :
    : spaces +=3;
    :
    : }
    :
    : if(counter < code.length-1) indent(code,counter+1,spaces);
    : return code;
    :
    : }
    : }
    : [/code]
    :
    : Zibadian,
    :
    : I also wanted to thank you for all of your help, i'm not sure if you've realised that you have helped me before, a couple of months ago, many times. I wasn't able to voice my appreciation because I was out of the country for some time. But I really appreciate all the help you have given me, and value your opinion when it comes to code I write. Thanks again, and i'm sure i'll have some posts in the future and hope to hear back from you. Hope you get this.
    :
    :
    Here's a method, which prints an array recursively:
    [code]
    void recursePrint(String[] stringArray, int index) {
    if (index < stringArray.length) {
    System.out.println(stringArray[index]);
    recursePrint(stringArray, index++);
    }
    }
    [/code]
  • When I implement the method as follows,

    [CODE]
    import javax.swing.JOptionPane;

    public class A1Q3 {

    public static void main (String args[]){

    String[] code = {
    "public class Ick {",
    "public static void main(String[] args) {",
    "String s = "Countdown: ";",
    "",
    "for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {",
    "System.out.print(i);",
    "if (i < 10) {",
    "System.out.print(",")",
    "}",
    "System.out.print("...")",
    "}",
    "",
    "System.out.println();",
    "}",
    "}"
    };

    recursePrint(code,0);

    //for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    // System.out.println(code[i]);
    //}

    System.out.println("===");

    code = indent(code,0,0);

    recursePrint(code,0);
    //for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    // System.out.println(code[i]);
    //}
    }


    public static String[] indent(String[] code, int counter, int spaces){

    String pad = "";

    if(code[counter].length() == 0){
    counter++;
    }

    if(code[counter].charAt(0) == '}'){

    spaces -=3;

    }

    for(int i = 0; i < spaces; i++){

    pad +=" ";

    }

    code[counter] = pad + code[counter];

    if(code[counter].charAt(code[counter].length() - 1) == '{'){

    spaces +=3;

    }

    if(counter < code.length-1) indent(code,counter+1,spaces);
    return code;

    }

    public static void recursePrint(String[] stringArray, int index) {

    if (index < stringArray.length - 1) {

    System.out.println(stringArray[index]);

    recursePrint(stringArray, index++); //line 91

    }

    }

    }
    [/CODE]

    It prints the first index value over and over again, then just says "at A1Q3.recursePrint(A1Q3.java : 91)", which means the problems at line 91 where I call the recursion for printing the values. I'm not sure what to do, the code looks right...
  • : When I implement the method as follows,
    :
    : [CODE]
    : import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
    :
    : public class A1Q3 {
    :
    : public static void main (String args[]){
    :
    : String[] code = {
    : "public class Ick {",
    : "public static void main(String[] args) {",
    : "String s = "Countdown: ";",
    : "",
    : "for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {",
    : "System.out.print(i);",
    : "if (i < 10) {",
    : "System.out.print(",")",
    : "}",
    : "System.out.print("...")",
    : "}",
    : "",
    : "System.out.println();",
    : "}",
    : "}"
    : };
    :
    : recursePrint(code,0);
    :
    : //for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    : // System.out.println(code[i]);
    : //}
    :
    : System.out.println("===");
    :
    : code = indent(code,0,0);
    :
    : recursePrint(code,0);
    : //for(int i = 0; i < code.length; i++){
    : // System.out.println(code[i]);
    : //}
    : }
    :
    :
    : public static String[] indent(String[] code, int counter, int spaces){
    :
    : String pad = "";
    :
    : if(code[counter].length() == 0){
    : counter++;
    : }
    :
    : if(code[counter].charAt(0) == '}'){
    :
    : spaces -=3;
    :
    : }
    :
    : for(int i = 0; i < spaces; i++){
    :
    : pad +=" ";
    :
    : }
    :
    : code[counter] = pad + code[counter];
    :
    : if(code[counter].charAt(code[counter].length() - 1) == '{'){
    :
    : spaces +=3;
    :
    : }
    :
    : if(counter < code.length-1) indent(code,counter+1,spaces);
    : return code;
    :
    : }
    :
    : public static void recursePrint(String[] stringArray, int index) {
    :
    : if (index < stringArray.length - 1) {
    :
    : System.out.println(stringArray[index]);
    :
    : recursePrint(stringArray, index++); //line 91
    :
    : }
    :
    : }
    :
    : }
    : [/CODE]
    :
    : It prints the first index value over and over again, then just says "at A1Q3.recursePrint(A1Q3.java : 91)", which means the problems at line 91 where I call the recursion for printing the values. I'm not sure what to do, the code looks right...
    :
    Try printing the index instead to see if that increases ok. It should then output the numbers 0 to n, where n is the length-2 of the array.
  • [b][red]This message was edited by circuz_phreak at 2007-1-19 12:41:31[/red][/b][hr]
    Got it working, changed it to:

    [CODE]
    public static void recursePrint(Object[] stringArray, int index) {

    System.out.println(stringArray[index]);

    if (index < stringArray.length - 1) {
    recursePrint(stringArray, index + 1);
    }

    [/CODE]

    Program works great, thanks!!!


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