Reading String input?

Question

So the other day I thought I might go ahead and try to make a few simple programs to see if anything I have learned is soaking in. I did a few math ones, which were easy enough, but then I tried to do a password program. It was easy enough to write, but the thing is I could only do it with numbers. Although thats alright, I was aiming to do one with Strings rather than ints. Thing is I have no idea how to take the input of a String like an int would (readInt). Heres my short password program involving just ints if it helps any:
package OtherStuff;
import acm.program.ConsoleProgram;
import java.util.*;
public class stringPassword extends ConsoleProgram {
public void run() {
     int password = 2256;
          while (true) {
               int input = readInt("Enter a password: ");
               if (input == password) {
                    println("Password accepted");
                    break;
               if (input != password) {
                    println("Password not accepted\n");
}So all in all, how can I take the input of a String and use it in the same way I use ints in the code above?

Answer 1

jverd wrote:
ldilley wrote:
jverd wrote:
ldilley wrote:
jverd wrote:Reference values, actually.The values stored in reference variables are memory addresses.They may be implemented as such, but it's not required by the spec. The JLS has no concept of a memory address.Required or not, it is what it is. Nobody was questioning specification requirements; albeit the JLS does make mention of addresses of objects. I come from a C background and the concept of memory addressing is how I describe it. Terminology tends to bleed over if you use multiple languages. Regardless, you are wanting to debate about semantics. Let us not digress from the OP's inquiry.It was specifically for the OP's benefit that I brought it up. I've seen too much confusion from people blurring the lines between specification and implementation, and trying to apply concepts from other languages beyond where there's any similarity or any usefulness in doing so.
A reference is simply an opaque value that is used to locate and object. The fact that it's an address is irrelevant. What is it an address of? In current Sun JVMs, I believe it's an address of a pair of pointers. One might say something like, "If you're familiar with addresses or pointers in other languages, you can think of a Java reference as the memory address of the object, even though that's not strictly speaking what it is." I don't see any value in telling a noob that it IS an address though.Making mention of memory addresses is certainly not beyond similarity or usefulness in the scope of this context if that is what you are implying. I do not believe it is irrelevant (I see from many of your posts that you like this word) to help Cypher understand what is going on conceptually. The "cubby holes" visualization of memory certainly helped me in my programming courses. The fact is, there are many people who can use the Web(tm) proficiently without knowing the related RFCs. The same applies to the JLS and programming with Java. It may help if you want to be a pedantic Java lawyer. However, knowledge of this document is definitely not required to use the language productively. So, inversely, I do not see the value in being overly concerned with semantics and the details of the JLS as it could be too restrictive and confuse "noobs".
In fact, there are several college-level textbooks that explain reference variables in terms of memory addresses. "Java Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design" by D. S. Malik is one such book. So, again, this is certainly not irrelevant by any means.
Regards,
Lloyd D.