Really basic data entry question [Beginner]

[AMT2K5]

Hello,

I have a simple data script that looks like this:

Box of
Hammer(s)
#
6 Pack of
Washer(s)
#


Which is stored in a StringBuffer


I have the code

InventoryItem[] InvItems = new InventoryItem[10];

for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
InvItems = new InventoryItem();
InvItems.inventoryId = i+1; // ?
InvItems.quantityInStock = 2.5 *
InvItems.inventoryId;
InvItems.update(a);
}


Where (a) is the passed into the method as a StringBuffer consisting of
that data script read at an earlier time.

I want to update each object's attributes consisting of Product and
Unit/Package, by using the update function (public int
update(StringBuffer sb)) .

How would I go about doing that?

So InvItems[0] has a product of 'Hammer(s)' and a unit/package of 'Box
Of',
in the for loop when InvItems[1] comes along, it has a product of
'Washer(s)' and a unit/package of '6 Pack-of'

Thanks in advance, any help appreciated.


PS: I figure it will look something like this to start

public int update(StringBuffer sb){
String temp = new String();
StringTokenizer tk = new StringTokenizer(sb.toString(),"#");
while (tk.hasMoreTokens()) {
System.out.println(tk.nextToken());
}


return 0;
}


My data script looks like this


Box of 100
Bolt(s)
#
Motherload of
Widget(s)
#
Box of 25
Grommet(s)
#
Box of 50
Hammer(s)
#
24-Pack of
Washer(s)
#
Box of
Gizmo(s)
#
One
Blade(s)
#
6-Pack of
O-Ring(s)
#
Motherload of
Thingy(ies)
#
Box of
Nut(s)
#

Each pair between the sharps are the two attributes for the current
object this.

 

[Rhino]

Hello,

I have a simple data script that looks like this:

Box of
Hammer(s)
#
6 Pack of
Washer(s)
#


Which is stored in a StringBuffer


I have the code

InventoryItem[] InvItems = new InventoryItem[10];

for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
InvItems = new InventoryItem();
InvItems.inventoryId = i+1; // ?
InvItems.quantityInStock = 2.5 *
InvItems.inventoryId;
InvItems.update(a);
}


Where (a) is the passed into the method as a StringBuffer consisting of
that data script read at an earlier time.

I want to update each object's attributes consisting of Product and
Unit/Package, by using the update function (public int
update(StringBuffer sb)) .

How would I go about doing that?

So InvItems[0] has a product of 'Hammer(s)' and a unit/package of 'Box
Of',
in the for loop when InvItems[1] comes along, it has a product of
'Washer(s)' and a unit/package of '6 Pack-of'

Thanks in advance, any help appreciated.


PS: I figure it will look something like this to start

public int update(StringBuffer sb){
String temp = new String();
StringTokenizer tk = new StringTokenizer(sb.toString(),"#");
while (tk.hasMoreTokens()) {
System.out.println(tk.nextToken());
}


return 0;
}


My data script looks like this


Box of 100
Bolt(s)
#
Motherload of
Widget(s)
#
Box of 25
Grommet(s)
#
Box of 50
Hammer(s)
#
24-Pack of
Washer(s)
#
Box of
Gizmo(s)
#
One
Blade(s)
#
6-Pack of
O-Ring(s)
#
Motherload of
Thingy(ies)
#
Box of
Nut(s)
#

Each pair between the sharps are the two attributes for the current
object this.

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself? Because if your teacher told you this,
you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a 'data
script'. The normal term for this is 'input file' as anyone with 20 minutes
of IT experience could tell you. Do a Google search on "data script" and
then another on "input file" and I think you will see that the latter gets a
lot more hits.....

--

Aside from that point, do you really have to read in data in the exact
format you show in your post? Because I can't picture any professional
organization doing it that way. At the very least, they would mentally
translate the data into columns. More likely, they would store this data in
a database where it belongs. I've never once had to write a program to turn
a two line text string like:

24-Pack of
Washers

into:

Washers 24-pack

I doubt I'd use a StringBuffer for this program either.

Please note that I don't mean to ridicule _you_; it's the assignment (and
the person who created it) that I'm ridiculing.

I was going to go on and help answer the question but it's just so
unrealistic I don't think I can play along after all.

Sorry.

 

[Oliver Wong]

Hello,

I have a simple data script that looks like this:

Box of
Hammer(s)
#
6 Pack of
Washer(s)
#


Which is stored in a StringBuffer


I have the code

InventoryItem[] InvItems = new InventoryItem[10];

for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
InvItems = new InventoryItem();
InvItems.inventoryId = i+1; // ?
InvItems.quantityInStock = 2.5 *
InvItems.inventoryId;
InvItems.update(a);
}


Where (a) is the passed into the method as a StringBuffer consisting of
that data script read at an earlier time.

I want to update each object's attributes consisting of Product and
Unit/Package, by using the update function (public int
update(StringBuffer sb)) .

How would I go about doing that?

So InvItems[0] has a product of 'Hammer(s)' and a unit/package of 'Box
Of',
in the for loop when InvItems[1] comes along, it has a product of
'Washer(s)' and a unit/package of '6 Pack-of'

Thanks in advance, any help appreciated.


PS: I figure it will look something like this to start

public int update(StringBuffer sb){
String temp = new String();
StringTokenizer tk = new StringTokenizer(sb.toString(),"#");
while (tk.hasMoreTokens()) {
System.out.println(tk.nextToken());
}


return 0;
}


My data script looks like this


Box of 100
Bolt(s)
#
Motherload of
Widget(s)
#
Box of 25
Grommet(s)
#
Box of 50
Hammer(s)
#
24-Pack of
Washer(s)
#
Box of
Gizmo(s)
#
One
Blade(s)
#
6-Pack of
O-Ring(s)
#
Motherload of
Thingy(ies)
#
Box of
Nut(s)
#

Each pair between the sharps are the two attributes for the current
object this.

It's not clear (to me at least) what your program is supposed to do.
What does it mean to have a "data script in a StringBuffer"? What are the
types of the fields of InventoryItem?

Maybe you should post an SSCCE http://mindprod.com/jgloss/sscce.html

- Oliver

 

[Tail_Spin]

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself?

He already stated that he was a [Beginner]

Because if your teacher told you this,
you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a 'data
script'.
Please note that I don't mean to ridicule _you_; it's the assignment (and
the person who created it) that I'm ridiculing.

I think he was looking for help not an observation on how stupid the
assignment was!

I doubt I'd use a StringBuffer for this program either.

Why not tell him what you would do then to solve this problem???

I was going to go on and help answer the question but it's just so
unrealistic I don't think I can play along after all.

If you weren't going to provide any help, what was the point of your post?
other than to tell him that his terminology was incorrect, the assignment
was dumb and useless, and finally that you weren't going to help???

SPECIAL NOTE:
Many times college and university professors hand out really dumb and
totally useless assignments. Your job as a student is to complete those
assignments to the best of your abilities. Providing comments about how
useless and stupid the assignments are doesn't help get the job done!

 

[Rhino]

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself?

He already stated that he was a [Beginner]

Because if your teacher told you this,
you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a 'data
script'.
Please note that I don't mean to ridicule _you_; it's the assignment (and
the person who created it) that I'm ridiculing.

I think he was looking for help not an observation on how stupid the
assignment was!

I doubt I'd use a StringBuffer for this program either.

Why not tell him what you would do then to solve this problem???

I was going to go on and help answer the question but it's just so
unrealistic I don't think I can play along after all.

If you weren't going to provide any help, what was the point of your post?
other than to tell him that his terminology was incorrect, the assignment
was dumb and useless, and finally that you weren't going to help???

SPECIAL NOTE:
Many times college and university professors hand out really dumb and
totally useless assignments. Your job as a student is to complete those
assignments to the best of your abilities. Providing comments about how
useless and stupid the assignments are doesn't help get the job done!

I'd say your post didn't help him/her very much either....

 

[Thomas Weidenfeller]

I think he was looking for help not an observation on how stupid the
assignment was!

This is a discussion group, not a help desk. In particular, this is not
a do-my-homework service, and this group does not replace tutors,
professors and teachers. And, probably the most important, it is not a
replacement for engaging the own brain and reading the course textbook
and course notes.

If you weren't going to provide any help, what was the point of your post?
other than to tell him that his terminology was incorrect, the assignment
was dumb and useless, and finally that you weren't going to help???

Setting one straight on the terminology is indeed help. If one can't
communicate in the language of the trade he has a serious problem he
might want to work on. And since the primary job of a student is to
learn something, such a hint is a great opportunity to learn.

A student like you who gets annoyed when someone is presented with an
an opportunity to learn something should seriously ask if studying is
the right thing to do.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Many times college and university professors hand out really dumb and
totally useless assignments. Your job as a student is to complete those
assignments to the best of your abilities.

Ye,. *YOUR* abilities, not ours. We do you students a courtesy if we
point out where their abilities are lacking. E.g. abilities in
formulating a coherent question.

Providing comments about how
useless and stupid the assignments are doesn't help get the job done!

It is not up to you to dictate what people have to answer. You have no
right to get an answer at all. You have no right to get the answer you
want to hear. You have not even a right to get read.

If one can't stand criticisms one better not posts to a public
discussion group. If one wants to cheat on an homework assignment one
better not posts to a public discussion group, too.

/Thomas

 

[Tail_Spin]

My replay was not to him but to YOU. With your 25+ years of IT you couldn't
comprehend that part?

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself?

He already stated that he was a [Beginner]

Because if your teacher told you this,
you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a 'data
script'.
Please note that I don't mean to ridicule _you_; it's the assignment (and
the person who created it) that I'm ridiculing.

I think he was looking for help not an observation on how stupid the
assignment was!

I doubt I'd use a StringBuffer for this program either.

Why not tell him what you would do then to solve this problem???

I was going to go on and help answer the question but it's just so
unrealistic I don't think I can play along after all.

If you weren't going to provide any help, what was the point of your post?
other than to tell him that his terminology was incorrect, the assignment
was dumb and useless, and finally that you weren't going to help???

SPECIAL NOTE:
Many times college and university professors hand out really dumb and
totally useless assignments. Your job as a student is to complete those
assignments to the best of your abilities. Providing comments about how
useless and stupid the assignments are doesn't help get the job done!

I'd say your post didn't help him/her very much either....

 

[Chris Uppal]

Tail_Spin wrote: [...]
It is not up to you to dictate what people have to answer. You have no
right to get an answer at all. You have no right to get the answer you
want to hear. You have not even a right to get read.

I don't think Tail_Spin is connected with the OP.

-- chris

 

[Tail_Spin]

This is a discussion group, not a help desk. In particular, this is not
a do-my-homework service, and this group does not replace tutors,
professors and teachers. And, probably the most important, it is not a
replacement for engaging the own brain and reading the course textbook
and course notes.

Agreed completely!

Setting one straight on the terminology is indeed help. If one can't
communicate in the language of the trade he has a serious problem he
might want to work on. And since the primary job of a student is to
learn something, such a hint is a great opportunity to learn.

To learn, know, and use the terminology correctly is a great asset and you
must be able to communicate correct meanings in your post. However, I took
exception with the attitude and presentation of Rhino's post.

A student like you who gets annoyed when someone is presented with an
an opportunity to learn something should seriously ask if studying is
the right thing to do.

I don't recall saying anywhere that I am currently a student? Yes I was a
student of Computer Information Systems at my local university where I
worked hard enough to be on the dean's list for 3 consecutive years,
(Unfortunately because of medical reasons I was unable to continue with
school.). But that doesn't give me the right to impress upon people how
smart I am or imply how stupid their questions or projects are. I also
didn't see anywhere where AMT2K5 said he was in school, maybe he is trying
to learn Java on his own and doesn't have a clear enough understanding of
what it is he is trying to do. You know what they say about assumptions
right?

I too have been involved with computers both with hardware and programming
for about 20 years. So I'm not a total newbie but I am a relative newbie to
java. One thing I have learned is the more you learn about computers and
programming, the more you realize you've only scratch the surface in this
whole technologically changing world. So all of us need to be wary about
trying impress people with how much we know in any area of technology, it's
a constant learning environment.

Ye,. *YOUR* abilities, not ours. We do you students a courtesy if we
point out where their abilities are lacking. E.g. abilities in
formulating a coherent question.

True, my bad, ... I forgot you are so much smarter than the rest of us
newbies, "We do you students a courtesy". Don't tell me, ... let me guess,
you're some college or university professor with a head-up-your-ass
attitude, probably with a masters or doctorate, and you feel your are so
much superior than all the rest of us right?

It is not up to you to dictate what people have to answer. You have no
right to get an answer at all. You have no right to get the answer you
want to hear. You have not even a right to get read.

If one can't stand criticisms one better not posts to a public
discussion group. If one wants to cheat on an homework assignment one
better not posts to a public discussion group, too.

Fine criticise if you feel the need, but at least provide a viable solution,
if not then your are just spewing out trash. And as far as the cheating
goes, I agree completely. I've seen too many students that don't deserve to
be in any kind of IT program. They think IT is the way to big $$$$ and they
don't have a first clue what to do when it comes to writing code, can't even
perform any kind of premitive debugging without some kind of fancy wysiwyg
IDE to help them.

So there, I've said my negative piece and only about 2 weeks after I made a
comment on this news group about all the negativism you keep seeing on news
groups these days. I feel ashamed to have to stoop to such a low level, but
I also feel I have to say my piece too.

Oh and remember --> If one can't stand criticisms one better not posts to a
public discussion group.

 

[Chris Uppal]

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself? Because if your teacher told you
this, you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a
'data script'.

Ah, but you are also the person who thought that splitting certain ranges of
characters out of every line of an input file was an unrealistic excersize for
a student. The guy[*] who had never heard of any real-world application for
such an operation in all his years in the industry ;-)

([*] I assume for simplicity of grammar)

Because I can't picture any professional
organization doing it that way.

I can. I can also imagine the same organisation using the term "data script".
It looks very like a format that was designed originally for data-entry clerks
to type in. (In which case a file containing the same format text is quite
naturally called a "data script"). Obviously that would be quite some time
ago -- before these updstart SQL databases became fashionable -- but that
doesn't mean the term was never valid. And some teachers are quite old too,
you know. What's more, they may know a lot that we (who hardly ever have to
deal with bandwidth/latency/RAM issues when simply processing data) miss out
on.

-- chris

 

[Chris Uppal]

I want to update each object's attributes consisting of Product and
Unit/Package, by using the update function (public int
update(StringBuffer sb)) .

This is really very odd. Are you sure that's what the question is asking you
to do ? It's not normal to use a StringBuffer to hold data that you are
reading from, they are much more commonly use to build Strings.

You /can/ use one to take input data apart, but you'll destroy the data in the
process, and it's not a way of doing it that would occur to an ordinary Java
programmer.

What you can do is use a loop, plus characterAt() to find where the first line
in the buffer ends. The use substring() to create a new String from the first
However many characters that is. Then use delete() to remove those characters
from the start of the buffer (including the line terminator). Then you do that
again to pull out the second line. Then you do it a third time to pull out the
line that consists of just # (which you discard). That gives you the two
strings which you can use to update one InventoryItem. Then you put all that
inside another loop which will update all the InventoryItems. By the end of
the loop, you shouldn't have any data left in the StringBuffer, and you
shouldn't have any InventoryItems left to process. If you have, then you've
done something wrong ;-)

But I repeat: code like that is /very/ strange, and you'd never (I hope!) see a
working Java programmer writing it. So I still suspect that the question was
actually asking for something else entirely.

-- chris

 

[Rhino]

My replay was not to him but to YOU. With your 25+ years of IT you
couldn't
comprehend that part?

Yeah, I got that but instead of attacking me you could have been helping the
original poster instead of attacking ME for not helping the original poster.
That was my point - or didn't you comprehend that part?

And I stand by my remark that if a _teacher_ used the term 'data script' he
wasn't very experienced in IT. I've never heard an input file called a 'data
script' in my life and I do have 25+ years in IT. If a newbie calls it that,
that is a perfectly reasonable guess at what such a thing should be called
but if he/she heard that from a teacher, he/she should have reservations
about what the qualifications of the teacher.

--
Rhino

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself?
He already stated that he was a [Beginner]

Because if your teacher told you this,
you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a
'data
script'.
Please note that I don't mean to ridicule _you_; it's the assignment (and
the person who created it) that I'm ridiculing.
I think he was looking for help not an observation on how stupid the
assignment was!

I doubt I'd use a StringBuffer for this program either.
Why not tell him what you would do then to solve this problem???

I was going to go on and help answer the question but it's just so
unrealistic I don't think I can play along after all.
If you weren't going to provide any help, what was the point of your post?
other than to tell him that his terminology was incorrect, the assignment
was dumb and useless, and finally that you weren't going to help???

SPECIAL NOTE:
Many times college and university professors hand out really dumb and
totally useless assignments. Your job as a student is to complete
those
assignments to the best of your abilities. Providing comments about
how
useless and stupid the assignments are doesn't help get the job done!

I'd say your post didn't help him/her very much either....

 

[Rhino]

Agreed completely!

To learn, know, and use the terminology correctly is a great asset and you
must be able to communicate correct meanings in your post. However, I
took
exception with the attitude and presentation of Rhino's post.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, it wasn't my proudest moment either.
But I stand by the contention that it is an unrealistic assignment.

I don't recall saying anywhere that I am currently a student? Yes I was a
student of Computer Information Systems at my local university where I
worked hard enough to be on the dean's list for 3 consecutive years,

Hmm, now who's trying to impress people....

(Unfortunately because of medical reasons I was unable to continue with
school.). But that doesn't give me the right to impress upon people how
smart I am or imply how stupid their questions or projects are. I also
didn't see anywhere where AMT2K5 said he was in school, maybe he is trying
to learn Java on his own and doesn't have a clear enough understanding of
what it is he is trying to do. You know what they say about assumptions
right?

I too have been involved with computers both with hardware and programming
for about 20 years. So I'm not a total newbie but I am a relative newbie
to
java. One thing I have learned is the more you learn about computers and
programming, the more you realize you've only scratch the surface in this
whole technologically changing world. So all of us need to be wary about
trying impress people with how much we know in any area of technology,
it's
a constant learning environment.

You could stand to take some of your own advice with regards to assumptions.
I was NOT trying to impress anyone; I was simply saying that in 25 years in
IT, I had never heard of a 'data script'. This may be a common term in some
areas but it isn't in any of the areas where I have worked. I only mentioned
25 years to indicate that I was not an IT newbie that may not have heard the
term yet. Period.

In my opinion, giving out dumb and totally useless assignments is almost a
total waste of time for the student who wants to learn something that will
be useful in later professional work. That's why I reacted the way I did; it
just feels wrong to cater to the kind of silliness inherent in the
assignment - assuming it WAS an assignment; it sounded like one to me.

Ye,. *YOUR* abilities, not ours. We do you students a courtesy if we
point out where their abilities are lacking. E.g. abilities in
formulating a coherent question.

True, my bad, ... I forgot you are so much smarter than the rest of us
newbies, "We do you students a courtesy". Don't tell me, ... let me
guess,
you're some college or university professor with a head-up-your-ass
attitude, probably with a masters or doctorate, and you feel your are so
much superior than all the rest of us right?

It is not up to you to dictate what people have to answer. You have no
right to get an answer at all. You have no right to get the answer you
want to hear. You have not even a right to get read.

If one can't stand criticisms one better not posts to a public
discussion group. If one wants to cheat on an homework assignment one
better not posts to a public discussion group, too.

Fine criticise if you feel the need, but at least provide a viable
solution,
if not then your are just spewing out trash. And as far as the cheating
goes, I agree completely. I've seen too many students that don't deserve
to
be in any kind of IT program. They think IT is the way to big $$$$ and
they
don't have a first clue what to do when it comes to writing code, can't
even
perform any kind of premitive debugging without some kind of fancy wysiwyg
IDE to help them.

So there, I've said my negative piece and only about 2 weeks after I made
a
comment on this news group about all the negativism you keep seeing on
news
groups these days. I feel ashamed to have to stoop to such a low level,
but
I also feel I have to say my piece too.
Rhino
Oh and remember --> If one can't stand criticisms one better not posts to
a
public discussion group.

 

[Rhino]

"Data script"???

Is this a term you invented yourself? Because if your teacher told you
this, you need a new teacher. In 25+ years in IT, I've never heard of a
'data script'.

Ah, but you are also the person who thought that splitting certain ranges
of
characters out of every line of an input file was an unrealistic excersize
for
a student. The guy[*] who had never heard of any real-world application
for
such an operation in all his years in the industry ;-)

You should reread that thread. I explained that I was construing that
question in a much narrower way than the rest of the group had. Maybe you
missed that?

([*] I assume for simplicity of grammar)
Your assumption is correct.

Because I can't picture any professional
organization doing it that way.

I can. I can also imagine the same organisation using the term "data
script".
It looks very like a format that was designed originally for data-entry
clerks
to type in. (In which case a file containing the same format text is quite
naturally called a "data script"). Obviously that would be quite some time
ago -- before these updstart SQL databases became fashionable -- but that
doesn't mean the term was never valid.

Agreed. I did not state categorically that this term was never used anywhere
at any time in the course of human history though; I simply said *I* had
never heard it. Have you heard anyone use the term 'data script'? Maybe this
is a common term in the UK?

By the same token, I've never once seen an input file that was laid out like
the original poster describes. Have you? It seems to me that such a file
would always be cleaned up at least a little bit along the lines I
suggested, even if it wasn't properly normalized.

And some teachers are quite old too,
you know. What's more, they may know a lot that we (who hardly ever have
to
deal with bandwidth/latency/RAM issues when simply processing data) miss
out
on.

Agreed. I still remember learning from 'old-timers' when I was getting
started and use some of their lessons to this day, although I've found that
I had to discard many as being inapplicable to modern computing. But basic
values like clarity, avoiding 'cutesy' code, documenting your work are key
parts of what I do.

Aside from the terminology nitpick over 'data script', my concern was
basically that the assignment wasn't very representative of what a real life
IT person would encounter in a real IT organization. Frankly, I think that
makes the assignment almost pointless. It's a bit like learning how to build
ramps so that you can jump your car over a narrow river; yes it's possible
but it isn't how most people use a car so it makes more sense to learn
something useful, like how to drive in heavy traffic. I think the original
poster's teacher was largely wasting the original poster's time. In the end,
I didn't feel right about reinforcing that foolishness by helping the
student solve a silly question.

 

[Tail_Spin]

Sorry for the personal attack, Rhino.
I didn't start out trying to get personal, I guess I just went overboard.
I'm get'n a little bit tired of people in the news groups being negative and
I guess I let it get to me. I see a lot of people in the computing industry
trying to usurp their level on the tech pecking order. We all were newbies
at one time and shouldn't forget that fact. And when people are asking a
questions that seem really dumb at the time, we as a programming community
should try to help them as much as we can.

I absolutely agree %100 about students doing their own assignments though.
Most assignments are doable if you pay attention and do the prep-work that
is required to compete the assignments. Because of my previous experience
in assembler and C, I had a lot of fellow students ask to see my code when I
was in school, (usually when the assignment was due the next day). However,
I would not give them much if any of my code, but rather try to provide
direction and basic pseudo-code. I'm no brain, probably a bit below average
because I'm a bit ADD, (attention deficit disorder), so I had to bust me ass
to get decent grades, and it really pissed me off to see lazy-ass kids
coasting though school, just riding on other peoples work.

I just think one of the main purpose of the news groups should be to help
people with their programming problems. But as in all aspects of pretty
well any kind of programming, there always seems to be this "I'm starter
than you" or "I'm more experienced than you (insult)" pecking-order attitude
that seems to be quite prevelent. And I really hate that, because we are
all just trying to figure this stuff out and get better at it.

Agreed completely!

To learn, know, and use the terminology correctly is a great asset and you
must be able to communicate correct meanings in your post. However, I
took
exception with the attitude and presentation of Rhino's post.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, it wasn't my proudest moment either.
But I stand by the contention that it is an unrealistic assignment.

I don't recall saying anywhere that I am currently a student? Yes I was a
student of Computer Information Systems at my local university where I
worked hard enough to be on the dean's list for 3 consecutive years,

Hmm, now who's trying to impress people....

(Unfortunately because of medical reasons I was unable to continue with
school.). But that doesn't give me the right to impress upon people how
smart I am or imply how stupid their questions or projects are. I also
didn't see anywhere where AMT2K5 said he was in school, maybe he is trying
to learn Java on his own and doesn't have a clear enough understanding of
what it is he is trying to do. You know what they say about assumptions
right?

I too have been involved with computers both with hardware and programming
for about 20 years. So I'm not a total newbie but I am a relative newbie
to
java. One thing I have learned is the more you learn about computers and
programming, the more you realize you've only scratch the surface in this
whole technologically changing world. So all of us need to be wary about
trying impress people with how much we know in any area of technology,
it's
a constant learning environment.

You could stand to take some of your own advice with regards to assumptions.
I was NOT trying to impress anyone; I was simply saying that in 25 years in
IT, I had never heard of a 'data script'. This may be a common term in some
areas but it isn't in any of the areas where I have worked. I only mentioned
25 years to indicate that I was not an IT newbie that may not have heard the
term yet. Period.

In my opinion, giving out dumb and totally useless assignments is almost a
total waste of time for the student who wants to learn something that will
be useful in later professional work. That's why I reacted the way I did; it
just feels wrong to cater to the kind of silliness inherent in the
assignment - assuming it WAS an assignment; it sounded like one to me.

 

[Chris Uppal]

You should reread that thread. I explained that I was construing that
question in a much narrower way than the rest of the group had. Maybe you
missed that?

Fair enough. I didn't take that message from the post where you "recanted".

Agreed. I did not state categorically that this term was never used
anywhere at any time in the course of human history though; I simply said
*I* had never heard it. Have you heard anyone use the term 'data script'?
Maybe this is a common term in the UK?

I haven't heard it myself (I would have said so if I had). But it seems
perfectly reasonable that it would turn up. "Data" is obvious. "Script" makes
sense when you consider that one meaning of that word is as a transcript of
something that has occurred, and especially a transcript that can be replayed.
And it was that later sense, of a transcript of a data-entry session which had
been saved to file, and which could be re-entered by "replaying" the file, that
I find persuasive.

It does sound like the kind of expression that is more likely to have come from
fairly old contexts (where a lot of concepts are given different names), but
since the "old" contexts are still alive and well....

By the same token, I've never once seen an input file that was laid out
like the original poster describes. Have you? It seems to me that such a
file would always be cleaned up at least a little bit along the lines I
suggested, even if it wasn't properly normalized.

Yes, I have. Quite often.

Note that it is formally identical to CSV or the like. Instead of using the
line-terminator to delimit records, and comma or tab to delimit fields within a
record, it uses a line-terminator to delimit fields, and a # (or
newline-#-newline) to delimit records. Perfectly normal, and in some ways more
readable than CSV. But the important thing is that it is (with some fudging
about what a line terminator is exactly) the /same/ as CSV. If one makes sense
then so does the other.

It's difficult to tell whether it's a sensible programming exercise because I
don't know what tools (concepts, classes, packages) the students have already
covered[*]. But assuming a reasonable coverage of IO and iteration concepts, I
would say that it's a pretty good example of simple parsing.

([*] My impression from the OPs post is that in this case the example has been
used too soon, before concepts like streams have been introduced.)

Aside from the terminology nitpick over 'data script', my concern was
basically that the assignment wasn't very representative of what a real
life IT person would encounter in a real IT organization. Frankly, I
think that makes the assignment almost pointless.

You sound as if you think that all data processing should be done via
formalised relational (or at least SQL) databases. I don't know whether you
/really/ think that, but I certainly don't.

In any case, this isn't an example of data processing, but of of parsing.

-- chris

 

[Martin Gregorie]

In any case, this isn't an example of data processing, but of of parsing.

Quite.

What's more to the point is that, in a *NIX environment anyway, you
wouldn't use Java to process that sort of data: its a job for awk or
Perl (and for Perl in a lot of other environments too).

I'd expect a programmer to be able to justify not using awk or Perl just
as I'd expect a properly designed student project to deduct marks for
not using them without a good explanation.

OK, I'll stretch a point and allow the use of Coco/R to generate a Java
program or lex+yacc to do the same for C, *but* I'd still want to hear
justification.