My hope is that all 'newbies' read this before posting:

Question

I don't know if I'm a java guru.
I can tell you something, though.... the Java forums were instrumental in my learning what I already know... I set my sites on some cool projects, and learned alot while doing it.
Sometimes, I asked a "stupid" question. I got more out of asking "smart" questions. I don't want to insult, I do want to teach.
Why is he saying this?
It has been approximately 6+ months since I've been here to poke around... and I return to find some of the problems that plague the forums (and to a certain level always will, I imagine) still here. That is..people asking vague, unanswerable questions... OR... people posting their homework that haven't even taken a stab at doing it yet...
What happens, then, is that veterans get pissed. (can I say that ??) They see constant requests for "I have to create Tower of Hanoi program...PLZZZZZZZZZ HELP" or "URGENT ! !!! ! HELP ! ! !", or "I need to write an applet that explores space and time and returns the answer to life the universe and everything... can you help?"--THEY eventually might flip...and post some interesting code... my favorite (that can be reprinted) was:
public class YourAnswer{
public static void main(String[] args)
   for (int i=0; i<100; i++)
     System.out.println("I will do my own homework from now on!");
}But that's not my point. My point (and if you've read this ramble so far, you're doing good) is that some of us are professional programmers. Some of us are not. Most if not 99.99% of us (that is, those who possess the answer) are not Sun employees, so:
1- We do not have to answer your question.
2- We do not have to take abuse.
3- We do not have to, or in most cases, want to, do your homework for you.
((We worked it out, you can too))
But don't leave yet. Let me define my terms.
"stupid" question: This is a question that does one or more of the following:
1- Asks us to do all of your work for you.
2- Demonstrates no effort on your part.
3- Lacks relavent code samples
4- Lacks relavent error printouts, or has them and see -3-
5- Continually requests urgent assistance, especially when in conjunction with items 1-4
6- Has code samples, but not in "code" brackets. (ie. the word 'code' starts the sample, enclosed by square brackets, and '/code' ends the sample, enclosed by square brackets)
I leave it up to those remaining to figure out a 'smart' question.
PS- If you have perpetrated item # 6, ignorance is not an excuse. Especially NOW, as you have been told. Unformatted code is abhorrent to look at...and makes it hard to muster up the energy to help someone. Also..never post on any forum without figuring out how to format stuff first... you look more intelligent, and intelligent questions get intelligent answers...
Programming is a wonderful endeavor. I love not knowing, and then finding the answer. If you are drawn to programming, you should love the act of transforming the unknowable/undoable into the working stage. If you don't, a new profession, or major, is a recommendation.
~David
[email protected]

Answer 1

Damn, they erased my thread!
I'll have to find someone who made a backup of it. I
know someone said they did, but I forgot who it was.I can't remember if this was one of the good ones, or what
...but this was from your December thread dustpan.
Cheers.
public class HWork {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    //some of the homework code here...
    int x = 0;
    // fake number...If they don't notice apostrophes
    // on next line it will confuse them
    int needThis = getValue('x'); // makes it look like passing integer x
    // some more homework code here...
  private static int getValue(char c2) {
    int[] calc = new int[]{
      73,32,103,111,116,32,109,121,32,104,111,109,101,119,
      111,114,107,32,100,111,110,101,32,102,111,114,32,109,
      101,32,97,116,32,104,116,116,112,58,47,47,106,97,118,
      97,46,115,117,110,46,99,111,109
    StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
    for (int x=0; x < calc.length; x++) {
      sb.append( (char)calc[x] );
    System.out.println(sb.toString());
    return -1;
}