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Java Java Objects Delivering the MVP Applying a Discount Code

Calling a method from within another method - how's it done?

Hi everyone,

I think I may have misunderstood what 'call the normalizeGuess method from the applyGuess method' means.

I've tried placing the entire normaliseGuess method within the applyGuess method but am getting a few error messages, including 'this is not a statement'. Return statement is also unexpected but not sure why - I know the applyGuess method is void but not the normalizeGuess one...

Why is this not working? Do I need to declare it separately first or something...

Any help would be much appreciated!

Michael

Order.java
public class Order {
  private String itemName;
  private int priceInCents;
  private String discountCode;

  public Order(String itemName, int priceInCents) {
    this.itemName = itemName;
    this.priceInCents = priceInCents;
  }

  public String getItemName() {
    return itemName;
  }

  public int getPriceInCents() {
    return priceInCents;
  }

  public String getDiscountCode() {
    return discountCode;
  }

  public void applyDiscountCode(String discountCode) {
    String normalizeDiscountCode(discountCode){
      this.discountCode = discountCode.toUpperCase();
      return discountCode;
  }
}
}
Example.java
public class Example {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // This is here just for example use cases.

    Order order = new Order(
            "Yoda PEZ Dispenser",
            600);

    // These are valid.  They are letters and the $ character only
    order.applyDiscountCode("abc");
    order.getDiscountCode(); // ABC

    order.applyDiscountCode("$ale");
    order.getDiscountCode(); // $ALE


    try {
      // This will throw an exception because it contains numbers
      order.applyDiscountCode("ABC123");
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
      System.out.println(iae.getMessage());  // Prints "Invalid discount code"
    }
    try {
      // This will throw as well, because it contains a symbol.
      order.applyDiscountCode("w@w");
    }catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
      System.out.println(iae.getMessage());  // Prints "Invalid discount code"
    }

  }
}

2 Answers

james south
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james south
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,271 Points

you're trying to define a method in another method when you just want to call it. to call you just put the name and (). if it is called with any arguments, they go in the (). myMethod(arg1, arg2...). that's a call that goes in the other method. so in the body of apply, you would have normalizeDiscountCode(discountCode). the return of normalize is then used however you need in apply. the discountCode argument given to apply can be passed into normalize when it is called.

I think the penny has dropped! Thanks so much for your help.

Yeah I get it now. Calling a method from inside another method only requires the name (I guess that's why it's called 'calling'!) and (), along with any arguments that need to go in there. This means you can define a method separately and then use it as and when you please.

I think I also had the wrong understanding of what this.discountCode actually did but now I can see it relates back to the class field/member variable (is that the right terminology?) at the top.

james south
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.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
james south
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,271 Points

discountCode is a field in the Order class. it isn't static, which means it belongs to each instance (each Order) of the class, so you need Order instances to modify it and each instance has its own discountCode. this makes perfect sense, right? each Order in our real lives has however many variations that determine what, if any, discount will apply to that Order. here is what i think is a good run-down of fields and static-ness:

http://tutorials.jenkov.com/java/fields.html