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Java Java Basics Getting Started with Java Strings and Variables

Posted by Learning coding
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Learning coding
Front End Web Development Techdegree Student 9,937 Points

Why isn't this code working?

Hi,

I would like to use the escape sequence \n in order to have the firstName and the lastName on different lines in the output. That looks cleaner, but I get errors from the console when I try to use the escape sequence.

import java.io.Console;

public class Introductions {

public static void main(String[] args) {
    Console console = System.console();

String firstName = console.readLine("Enter your first name: "); String lastName = console.readLine("Enter your last name: "); console.printf("First name: %s", firstName\n"); console.printf("Last name: %s", lastName\n"); } }

3 Answers

Eva Kadar
Eva Kadar
8,272 Points

Hi Rene,

the \n should be between the %s and the apostrophe and you don't need the apostrophe after it either.

Try something like this:

import java.io.Console;

public class Introductions {

public static void main(String[] args) {
    Console console = System.console();

String firstName = console.readLine ("Enter your first name: "); 
String lastName = console.readLine ("Enter your last name: "); 
console.printf("First name: %s %n", firstName); 
console.printf("Last name: %s %n", lastName); 
} 
}
Learning coding
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Learning coding
Front End Web Development Techdegree Student 9,937 Points
Learning coding
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Learning coding
Front End Web Development Techdegree Student 9,937 Points

Thanks, that works. But why do you use %n instead of \n?

Alexander Nikiforov
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Alexander Nikiforov
Java Web Development Techdegree Graduate 22,175 Points

The %n is a platform-independent newline character

Quote from docs

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/data/numberformat.html

Craig will start using it at some point and give some explanation as well, just follow along the Java Track

Eva Kadar
Eva Kadar
8,272 Points
Eva Kadar
Eva Kadar
8,272 Points

You can use both, it means the same, I just prefer the %n - and yes, Craig starts to use it as well. Anyway, its up to you I think. :)