Using a static method to read data from text file

[David Barry]

I am need a little guidance here as to how I am to go about using a static method to read data from a text file. I know how to use a static method to write data to a text file, now I am wondering how to use a static method to read data from a text file. The following code is the code that read the data from the text file in the main method. Now that the code works in the main method, I am wondering how I can create a static method that does this. Thanks in advance to the person that has some ideas for me on this...

  
int index = 0;
        double[] surfaceGravity = new double[10];
        File gravity = new File("surfaceGravityData.txt");
        Scanner inFile = new Scanner(gravity);
        
        while (inFile.hasNextDouble())
           {
                surfaceGravity[index] = inFile.nextDouble();
                index++;
           }

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Hi Dave,

What's the issue you're having? Why can't you just pop this code into a method?

[David Barry]

I'm really not sure how to go about doing this. Not really where to start or what to do. I know some about static methods, just not sure how to start here...

[fred rosenberger]

you write a static method the same way you write any other method.. except you put 'static' in the signiature:

public static <return type> methodName()
{
//code goes here
}

[Campbell Ritchie]

I have a little rule of thumb about static methods:

Does the method take or use any information from the state of an object of its class?

Does the method insert or alter any information into the state of an object of its class?

If you can confidently answer NO to both those questions, then you can make the method static.

Taking information from, or putting information into, anything passed as a parameter doesn't count. But passing a parameter of the same class probably constitutes cheating.

I suggest you follow EFH's suggestion.

Did I write a file-writing static method for you yesterday? Have a look at that; notice that static method takes information about the file, and what to write, as parameters. So it doesn't require any information from the state of an object of its class, nor does it alter anything about the state of any object of its class.

[David Barry]

Thanks everybody. I am working on it...

[Campbell Ritchie]

You're welcome

Have you noticed the serious potential problem in your 1st posting yet?