I'm on step 2 of the normalizeDiscount challenge and I'm having trouble correctly writing the 'if' statement

Question

My code is as follows:

private String normalizeDiscountCode(String discountCode) { discountCode = discountCode.toUpperCase(); if (!Character.discountCode.equals('$')) { throw new IllegalArguentException("Invalid discount code"); } return discountCode; }

The error I'm getting is symbol not found on this line

(!Character.discountCode.equals('$'))

I've also tried writing it this way as well (with no luck):

if (!Character.discountCode || !Character.discountCode.euqals('$'))

It seems changing out 'String' for 'Character' doesn't make a difference in either way I write it. Can anyone explain to me why my logic doesn't work and/or how to get on the right track?

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) {
    this.discountCode = normalizeDiscountCode(discountCode);
  }

  private String normalizeDiscountCode(String discountCode) {
  discountCode = discountCode.toUpperCase();
    if (!Character.discountCode.equals('$')) {
      throw new IllegalArguentException("Invalid discount code");
    }
  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"
    }

  }
}

Answer 1 · 2018-12-28T13:38:25Z

December 28, 2018 1:38pm

Hi!, the working code is this:

  private String normalizeDiscountCode(String discountCode) {
  for(char letter : discountCode.toCharArray())
  {
    if(!(Character.isLetter(letter) || letter =='$')) {
      throw new  IllegalArgumentException("Invalid discount code");

    }

  }
    return discountCode.toUpperCase();


  }

First, you need to loop thorugh each of the letters in dicountCode and turn discountCode to an array of chars. to check if discountCode contains a letter or contains $ u just need to check if each of the letters is actually a letter using Character.isLetter() method and assign letter to $. to check if those 2 statment are true u check for non-equality with placing a "!" sign. if the letter is not a letter and letter doesnt contain $ u throw an exception.

Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Looking to learn something new?

Phoenix S.

Phoenix S.

I'm on step 2 of the normalizeDiscount challenge and I'm having trouble correctly writing the 'if' statement

1 Answer

<noob />

<noob />

Phoenix S.

Phoenix S.