Thread: Java program for election voting machine

Hi, so this is my final assignment for the semester so I thought I would setup a thread for it now because I will probably need a fair bit of ongoing help. (Thank you in advance to anyone that does give me a hand).
Website of project: Java Programming (CITS1200)

Basically I need to make a program that takes in the candidates name from an external text file. And then takes in the votes from a separate text file.
I need 3 classes:
* Vote - will represent a single vote and its preferences.
* Candidate - will represent a single candidate and their votes.
* Election - will represent an election process.

I've been supplied this code (Which is apparently for reading text files):

/* * Reads a file into an array of strings * * Simple create a FileIO object with a valid file name, * and it will read the file into lines, and set noOfLines * * e.g. reading the file f.txt containing "abc\nde\n\ngh\n" will return an object with * file = "f.txt" * noOfLines = 4 * lines = {"abc", "de", "", "gh"} * * Lyndon While, 2009 */   import java.io.*;   class FileIO { public String file; public String[] lines; public int noOfLines; // lines and nooflines will be consistent   public FileIO (String f) {file = f; try {// Open the file FileInputStream fstream = new FileInputStream(file); // Convert fstream to a DataInputStream BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(fstream)); // This will usually be way too big... String[] toomanylines = new String[10000]; // Read lines while they keep coming while (in.ready()) {toomanylines[noOfLines] = in.readLine(); noOfLines++;} // Close the data stream in.close(); // set up lines with the right size lines = new String[noOfLines]; for (int i = 0; i < noOfLines; i++) lines[i] = toomanylines[i]; } catch (Exception e) {System.err.println("File input error");} } }

The project says I need to use SimpleCanvas which is just a graphical interface for BlueJ. But I'm planning on just focusing on getting the coding down pact. And then I can sort that stuff out later, because it's not really an important aspect in the scheme of things.

If anyone has tips on where to start off it'd be much appreciated. According to my lecturer, Vote should be and easy class, Candidate a little bit harder, and Election the hardest.
Not too good when I'm not entirely sure what I should be doing for vote? Haha.
I'm sure people know how it is, a push and a shove and I'll keep on rolling Just no way of getting started on the hill. (Quite proud of that analogy)

Thanks very much,
Regard, Tom.

Included in the project

Apologies for the double post, but I needed to bump this.
I still don't know where to start. Any help, is very much appreciated.

Just focussing on the vote class at the moment.

Hi JavaPF, thanks for getting back to me. But whilst I understand the structure of Java programs, I just don't know where to start in regards to what I need to do to go about taking what I get from FileIO and analysing it...

the Vote class takes from a text file, one line of letters say:
ACBDE
This represents one individuals vote.
A is one candidate, B is another, C is another, etc.

The vote class checks that it is a formal vote first, record if it isn't. To be a formal vote it must have the number of Candidates as explained by a candidates text file which will only have one line of letters ABCDE.
If a voter has AcBDE, their vote is informal, if a voter has ABCD their vote is informal.

The vote goes like this
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E

It reads through all the votes in the text file, if D gets the least number of 1's then they aren't going to win, so for this voter, their D vote would be given to E. And this would be done for a number of people. Eg.
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. E
5. A
This persons D vote would be given to B.

1. B
2. C
3. D
4. E
5. A
This persons D vote would be given to E.

right and that would be done by say...

FileIO.lines[] = lines[]

Or something? Which would just copy the array over?

probably use the charAt [0], charAt[1], etc. to find which each is equal to and store each as a Char variable and then compare them to each new vote in the list seperately by using a loop that ends when it is equal to the noOfLines from fileIO?

Can I just say THANKS SO MUCH for giving your time up for me

Does what I explained above sound correct?

haha, no, you've been a ton of help *clicks thanks*

Thanks very much. Be back here soon enough

ok. So I've worked on it a bit more with my friend who's done the course before (But a completely different project)
Vote:

/** * Represents a single vote and it's preferences * * Thomas Bruining * v1.0 */ import java.lang.String;   public class Vote {   String vote; //Constructor public Vote(String marks){ this.vote = marks;   } //Methods public String getPrefs(){ return vote; }   //Returns true if the vote is formal< based on the fact that it is a candidate(non duplicate) public boolean isFormal(String candidates){ if(vote.length() == candidates.length()){   for(int i = 0; i<= vote.length(); i++){ for(int j = 1; j < vote.length(); j++){ char[] voteA = vote.toCharArray();   if(voteA[i] == voteA[j]){ return false; }else{ ;   for(int t = 0; t < vote.length(); t++){ for(int s = 0; s < vote.length(); s++){ char[] candA = candidates.toCharArray();   if(candA[t] != voteA[s]){ return false; }else{ return true; } } } } } } } return false; }   //Deletes loser from sequence of preferences public void delete(char loser){ char[] voteA = vote.toCharArray(); for(int i = 0; i < vote.length(); i++){ if(voteA[i] == loser){ voteA[i] = voteA[i+1]; voteA[vote.length() - 1] = ' '; vote = new String(voteA); } } }   //returns the preffered surviving candidate public char preferred(String losers){ char[] losersA = losers.toCharArray(); for(int i = 0; i < losers.length(); i++){ if(vote.charAt(0) == losersA[i]){ char[] voteA = vote.toCharArray(); for(int n = 0; n < vote.length(); n++){ voteA[n] = voteA[n+1]; } voteA[vote.length() - 1] = ' '; vote = new String(voteA); } } return vote.charAt(0); } }

Vote should be completed. However, it may be worth reading through. Basically it is just a huge number of for loops to check various things.
Next comes the Candidate Class:

/** * Represents a single candidate and their votes * * Thomas Bruining * v1.0 */ public class Candidate{   char c; int v;   public Candidate(char name, int n){ this.c = name; this.v = n; }   public char getName(){ return Candidate.c; }   public int getCount(){ return Candidate.v; }   public Vote[] getVotes(){   }   public boolean isWinner(int n){ if(n > (Election.getNoOfVotes())/2){return true;} }   public void getVotes(Vote[] papers, int n, String losers){ } }

Candidate is almost complete. However, I am somewhat stumped by the methods that I have yet to complete.
"public Vote[] getVotes()" and "public void getVotes(Vote[] papers, int n, String losers)"

And finally:

/** * Represents the election process * * Thomas Bruining * v1.0 */ public class Election{       public Election(String candidatesFile, String votesFile){ FileIO tempcand = new FileIO("SC.txt"); candidatesFile = (String)tempcand; FileIO tempvotes = new FileIO("SV.txt"); votesFile = (String)tempvotes; }   public int getNoOfCandidates(){   } }

Which has barely been started.

If you refer to my Original Post there is a ton of information in there.

If someone could read through the Vote class and check for problems that may occur, and also help me with those 2 methods I mentioned above.

Thanks very much to any help you can offer This is due on friday, so I'm beginning to get a bit..worried about it all as I'm a bit stumped. If it is of any help, election is one of the main classes, the other two are however important as they supply a number of helper methods.

Update again:

Vote (FINISHED):

/** * Represents a single vote and it's preferences * * Thomas Bruining * v1.0 */ import java.lang.String;   public class Vote {   String vote; //Constructor public Vote(String marks){ this.vote = marks;   } //Methods public String getPrefs(){ return vote; }   //Retuns true if the vote is formal< based on the fact that it is a candidate(non duplicate) public boolean isFormal(String candidates){ if(vote.length() == candidates.length()){ if(vote == candidates){ return true; }else{ for(int i = 0; i<= vote.length(); i++){ for(int j = 1; j < vote.length(); j++){ char[] voteA = vote.toCharArray();   if(voteA[i] == voteA[j]){ return false; }else{ char[] candA = candidates.toCharArray(); for(int t = 0; t < vote.length(); t++){   if(candA[t] == voteA[t]){ return false; }else{ return true; }   } } } } } }else return false; return true; }   //Deletes loser from sequence of preferences public void delete(char loser){ char[] voteA = vote.toCharArray(); for(int i = 0; i < vote.length(); i++){ if(voteA[i] == loser){ for(int j = i; j < vote.length(); j++){ if(j +1 != vote.length()){ voteA[j] = voteA[j+1]; } } } } voteA[vote.length() - 1] = ' '; vote = new String(voteA); }   //returns the preffered surviving candidate public char preferred(String losers){ char[] losersA = losers.toCharArray(); for(int i = 0; i < losers.length(); i++){ if(vote.charAt(0) == losersA[i]){ char[] voteA = vote.toCharArray(); for(int n = 0; n < vote.length(); n++){ for(int j = n; j < vote.length(); j++){ if(j +1 != vote.length()){ voteA[j] = voteA[j+1]; } } } voteA[vote.length() - 1] = ' '; vote = new String(voteA); } } return vote.charAt(0); } }

Candidate: (FINISHED APART FROM FINAL METHOD -- <<<REALLY NEED HELP)

/** * Represents a single candidate and their votes * * Thomas Bruining * v1.0 */ public class Candidate{   char c; int v = 0; Vote[] votes;   public Candidate(char name, int n){ c = name; votes = new Vote[n]; v = n; }   public char getName(){ return c; }   public int getCount(){ return v; }   public Vote[] getVotes(){ return votes; }   public boolean isWinner(int n){ if(v >= n/2 + 1){return true;} else return false;}     public void getVotes(Vote[] papers, int n, String losers){ for(int i = 0; i <= n; i++){   if(papers[i].preferred(losers) == c){ v++; }   }   } }

public void getVotes(Vote[] papers, int n, String losers){
I'm lost as to how to do this. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Link:
Java Programming (CITS1200)

Election: (Unfinished and relatively unstarted <<NEED HELP)

/** * Represents the election process * * Thomas Bruining * v1.0 */     public class Election{ int NumVotes; int NumCand; int formal; String canfile; String votefile; FileIO votes; FileIO cands;   public Election(String candidatesFile, String votesFile){   FileIO cand = new FileIO(candidatesFile); FileIO tempvotes = new FileIO(votesFile); canfile = candidatesFile; votefile = votesFile; NumCand = cand.lines[0].length(); NumVotes = tempvotes.noOfLines; votes = tempvotes; cands = cand; }   public int getNoOfCandidates(){ return NumCand; }   public int getNoOfVotes(){     }   public String getLosers(){ return null; }   public void eliminateInformalVotes(String names, Vote[] votes){   }   public char winner(){ }   public Candidate findAndDeleteLoser(){ }   public void nextRound(){ FileIO tempcand = new FileIO(canfile); for (int i = 0; i < tempcand.lines.length; i++){ Candidate temp = new Candidate(tempcand.lines[i], getNoOfVotes); if (temp.isWinner == true){System.out.println("The winner is" + tempcand.lines[i]);}   }   //public void displayCount(){ //}   }}

FileIO: (Supplied for project - Needs to be incorporated into the Election class)

/* * Reads a file into an array of strings * * Simple create a FileIO object with a valid file name, * and it will read the file into lines, and set noOfLines * * e.g. reading the file f.txt containing "abc\nde\n\ngh\n" will return an object with * file = "f.txt" * noOfLines = 4 * lines = {"abc", "de", "", "gh"} * * Lyndon While, 2009 */   import java.io.*;   class FileIO { public String file; public String[] lines; public int noOfLines; // lines and nooflines will be consistent   public FileIO (String f) {file = f;   try {// Open the file FileInputStream fstream = new FileInputStream(file); // Convert fstream to a DataInputStream BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(fstream)); // This will usually be way too big... String[] toomanylines = new String[10000]; // Read lines while they keep coming while (in.ready()) {toomanylines[noOfLines] = in.readLine(); noOfLines++;} // Close the data stream in.close(); // set up lines with the right size lines = new String[noOfLines]; for (int i = 0; i < noOfLines; i++) lines[i] = toomanylines[i]; } catch (Exception e) {System.err.println("File input error");} }     }

Thanks for any help! I need it ASAP. This is worth a large percentage of my course, and I'd rather get a semi-acceptable mark for it to get me out of the depths for my exam.

Thankyou in advance!!! Please help me get Candidate finished first.