Problem with "System.in.read()" read() method!

Question

import java.io.*;
import java.lang.*;
class Count {
public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException
int count = 0;
while (System.in.read()!=-1)
count++;
System.out.println("Input has " + count + " chars.");
in this code the loop stucks and it increments the count variable infinitely of course as long as i hit enter. I am trying to understand the problem with read() method of system class's in object. in its definition it says; when the inputstream ends it returns -1, but in this code it does not return -1 ever. another question of mine is that what args[] array do? what does it store??

Answer 1

Java doesn't bother much with the dos console and it a bit limited and limiting - no pretty colours /graphics options - just text - that's because java graduates to GUI's where there is laods of power and object /component support to do everything and everything you could imagine and more. System.in.read() ??? - thats a fine start!
what args[] array do? what does it store??
Good question !
It provides a means of passing a parameter argument from the command line to the program - consider this;-public class HelloWithArgs {
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      System.out.println("Hello I am " + args[0]);
}What does it do and how does it work? Or this;-public class HelloWithArgs2 {
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      try{
         String myName = args[0];
      catch(ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException aob){
          System.out.print("No names: program will end");
          System.exit(0);
      System.out.println("Hello I am " + myName);
}Study them and have fun. Though to answer the question -
" public static void main(String[] args) {" // or
" public static void main(String[] parameters) {"
is the 'entry point' of all java programs, in order to do something it has to have a main() method and if youre going to pass on parameters, then why not a String array? If you think about it anything else would be fairly useless.