Hello I am using the following java code to split user input into individual words - String command = scanner.next(); command = command.toLowerCase(); String[] words = command.split(" "); however when i try to print " words[1] " for an input with two or more words it throws a ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException. It would seem that words[1] would simply be the second word in the sentence but the array does not contain it.

Reputation: 1

Array from split String problems

Hello I am using the following java code to split user input into individual words -

String command = scanner.next();
command = command.toLowerCase();
String[] words = command.split(" ");

however when i try to print " words[1] " for an input with two or more words it throws a ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException. It would seem that words[1] would simply be the second word in the sentence but the array does not contain it.

Upvotes: 0

Reputation: 626

Try this one, and make sure you have read all input words

Scanner scanner = Scanner(System.in);
String command = scanner.nextLine();
command = command.toLowerCase();
String[] words = command.split(" ");

Now you can print

words[1]

if you have valid index value,

Upvotes: 0

Reputation: 11867

A Scanner breaks its input into tokens using a delimiter pattern, which by default matches whitespace.

While the javadoc for Scanner#next() states:

Finds and returns the next complete token from this scanner. A complete token is preceded and followed by input that matches the delimiter pattern.

So in your case scanner.next() will return a word with no whitespace, as whitespace is how your scanner likely knows when to stop scanning.

You might want to use Scanner#nextLine() or something of the sort instead.

Upvotes: 2

Reputation: 7501

Instead of scanner.next(), try

String command = scanner.nextLine();

This will make sure you read all the words.

Upvotes: 3