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Java Java Objects Creating the MVP Counting Scrabble Tiles

Jakub Kraut
Jakub Kraut
1,302 Points

I'm struggling with this scrabble code challenge and I need help.

I keep getting this error :

./ScrabblePlayer.java:9: error: bad initializer for for-loop for( letter : tiles.toCharArray()){

ScrabblePlayer.java
public class ScrabblePlayer {
  // A String representing all of the tiles that this player has
  private String tiles;


  public int getCountOfLetter(char letter)
  {
    int count = 0;
    for( letter : tiles.toCharArray()){
     if(tiles.indexOf(letter) != -1) 
     {
       count ++ ;
     }

    }
    return count;
  }

  public ScrabblePlayer() {
    tiles = "";
  }

  public String getTiles() {
    return tiles;
  }

  public void addTile(char tile) {
    tiles += tile;
  }

  public boolean hasTile(char tile) {
    return tiles.indexOf(tile) != -1;
  }
}
Example.java
// This code is here for example purposes only
public class Example {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    ScrabblePlayer player1 = new ScrabblePlayer();
    player1.addTile('d');
    player1.addTile('d');
    player1.addTile('p');
    player1.addTile('e');
    player1.addTile('l');
    player1.addTile('u');

    ScrabblePlayer player2 = new ScrabblePlayer();
    player2.addTile('z');
    player2.addTile('z');
    player2.addTile('y');
    player2.addTile('f');
    player2.addTile('u');
    player2.addTile('z');

    int count = 0;
    // This would set count to 1 because player1 has 1 'p' tile in her collection of tiles
    count = player1.getCountOfLetter('p');
    // This would set count to 2 because player1 has 2 'd'' tiles in her collection of tiles
    count = player1.getCountOfLetter('d');
    // This would set 0, because there isn't an 'a' tile in player1's tiles
    count = player1.getCountOfLetter('a');

    // This will return 3 because player2 has 3 'z' tiles in his collection of tiles
    count = player2.getCountOfLetter('z');
    // This will return 1 because player2 has 1 'f' tiles in his collection of tiles
    count = player2.getCountOfLetter('f');
  }
}
Craig Bell
Craig Bell
2,038 Points

I got stuck on this for a while, you are pretty close. Change the if statement, we don't need to use indexOf as the enhanced for loop is doing this job for us.

Add a new variable in the for statement to look in the tiles array as you have done above. Then simplify the if statement to check whether the new variable and the letter are the same. Finally increment the count then return the value.

Let me know how you get on and I'll send the code if you need it ;)

Cheers Craig

Hey Craig. This is all looking like ancient Greek to me still. Could you please put up the code, that works?

2 Answers

Craig Bell
Craig Bell
2,038 Points

No worries, it's a tough one don't stress.

public int getCountOfLetter(char letter) {

int count = 0;

for(char tile : tiles.toCharArray()) { if(letter == tile) { count++; } } return count; }

Jakub Kraut
Jakub Kraut
1,302 Points

Thanks for the help Craig. I made a small break from treehouse , but when I came back I managed to solve it. Thanks for your commitment anyway :)

Thank you Craig, your answer helped me flush out my errors with the positioning of the return value. you are best!!