need help wtih this code!

[bob michelle]

been working on this all day..so tired i cant focus on it anymore maybe somebody can help

/**
 Class for basic pet data: name, age, and weight.
*/
public class Pet
{
    private String name;
    private int age;      //in years
    private double weight;//in pounds
    
    public Pet(String initialName, int initialAge, 
               double initialWeight)
    {
        name = initialName;
        if ((initialAge < 0) || (initialWeight < 0))
        {
            System.out.println("Error: Negative age or weight.");
            System.exit(0);
        }
        else
        {
            age = initialAge;
            weight = initialWeight;
        }
    }
	
    public void setPet(String newName, int newAge, double newWeight)
    {
        name = newName;
        if ((newAge < 0) || (newWeight < 0))
        {
            System.out.println("Error: Negative age or weight.");
            System.exit(0);
        }
        else
        {
            age = newAge;
            weight = newWeight;
        }
    }

    public Pet(String initialName)
    {
        name = initialName;
        age = 0;
        weight = 0;
    } 
    
    public void setName(String newName)
    {
        name = newName; //age and weight are unchanged.
    }
    
    public Pet(int initialAge)
    {
        name = "No name yet.";
        weight = 0;
        if (initialAge < 0)
        {
            System.out.println("Error: Negative age.");
            System.exit(0);
        }
        else
            age = initialAge;
    }
    
    public void setAge(int newAge)
    {
        if (newAge < 0)
        {
            System.out.println("Error: Negative age.");
            System.exit(0);
        }
        else
            age = newAge;
        //name and weight are unchanged. 
    }

    public Pet(double initialWeight)
    {
        name = "No name yet";
        age = 0;
        if (initialWeight < 0)
        {
            System.out.println("Error: Negative weight.");
            System.exit(0);
        }
        else
            weight = initialWeight;
    }
	
    public void setWeight(double newWeight)
    {
        if (newWeight < 0)
        {
            System.out.println("Error: Negative weight.");
            System.exit(0);
        }
        else
            weight = newWeight; //name and age are unchanged.
    }
    
    public Pet( )
    {
        name = "No name yet.";
        age = 0;
        weight = 0; 
    }
    
    public String getName( )
    {
        return name;
    }
    
    public int getAge( )
    {
        return age;
    }
    
    public double getWeight( )
    {
        return weight;
    }

    public void writeOutput( )
    {
        System.out.println("Name:   " + name);
        System.out.println("Age:    " + age + " years");
        System.out.println("Weight: " + weight + " pounds");
    }
}

[Joanne Neal]

And your question is ?

[Nico Van Brandt]

Your code works (you knew that already) but it is rubbish.

Some notes:

System.out.println("Error:..."). Apart from the fact System.err.println() exists, you should throw Exceptions

Don't repeat yourself: call the setters that do the checks. In this example it is safe to do so. (but you should be careful calling them from the constructor)

Group constructors and getters/setters for a better overview

writeOutput should not be in this class. Instead override the toString() method. Then when we call System.out.println(myPet), the return value of the toString() method gets printed.

There is more to say but just compare the solutions..

please don't do this

[fred rosenberger]

Nico,

Please don't post a complete solution to the problem. We encourage people to figure it out for themselves. Hint, suggest, or lead them to the answer, but please don't provide a fully implemented program.