Java Scanner (How it Works for Developers)

Common Use Cases of Scanner

The primary use case of the Scanner class is reading console input using the new Scanner(System.in). It allows reading values such as int, float, and boolean. Another common scenario is reading data from files or any other input stream, where Scanner can be used to parse files line-by-line or token-by-token.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class UserInputExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

        System.out.print("Enter an integer: ");
        int intValue = scanner.nextInt();  // Reads an integer input

        System.out.print("Enter a float: ");
        float floatValue = scanner.nextFloat();  // Reads a float input

        System.out.print("Enter a boolean: ");
        boolean booleanValue = scanner.nextBoolean();  // Reads a boolean input

        System.out.print("Enter a string: ");
        String stringInput = scanner.next();  // Reads a string input (until the first space)

        // Displaying the entered inputs
        System.out.println("Integer: " + intValue);
        System.out.println("Float: " + floatValue);
        System.out.println("Boolean: " + booleanValue);
        System.out.println("String: " + stringInput);

        scanner.close(); // Closing the scanner resource
    }
}

import java.util.Scanner;

public class UserInputExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

        System.out.print("Enter an integer: ");
        int intValue = scanner.nextInt();  // Reads an integer input

        System.out.print("Enter a float: ");
        float floatValue = scanner.nextFloat();  // Reads a float input

        System.out.print("Enter a boolean: ");
        boolean booleanValue = scanner.nextBoolean();  // Reads a boolean input

        System.out.print("Enter a string: ");
        String stringInput = scanner.next();  // Reads a string input (until the first space)

        // Displaying the entered inputs
        System.out.println("Integer: " + intValue);
        System.out.println("Float: " + floatValue);
        System.out.println("Boolean: " + booleanValue);
        System.out.println("String: " + stringInput);

        scanner.close(); // Closing the scanner resource
    }
}

This Java program demonstrates how to use Scanner to read different types of Java user input from the console, including int value, float value, boolean value, and string input. Here is the method description of the above program:

• nextInt(): Reads an int value from the input.
• nextFloat(): Reads a float value from the input.
• nextDouble(): Reads a double value from the input.
• nextBoolean(): Reads a boolean value from the input.
• The next() method retrieves the following token in the form of a String.
• To capture an entire line of text as a String, the nextLine() method can be utilized.
• nextByte(): Reads a byte value from the input.
• nextShort(): Reads a short value from the input.

By utilizing these methods, developers can easily handle various types of user input in their Java applications.

Key Features of IronPDF

IronPDF offers several key features that make it a go-to solution for PDF manipulation in Java:

• HTML to PDF Conversion: IronPDF allows you to convert HTML content, including CSS and JavaScript, into PDF documents. This feature is useful for generating dynamic reports and printable forms.
• Adding Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers: You can add headers, footers, and even watermarks to your PDF documents and create professional-looking reports.
• Merging and Splitting PDFs: IronPDF provides methods to merge multiple PDF files into a single document or split one PDF into several.

The library is compatible with various platforms and is suitable for applications that require PDF generation, whether it's for reporting, documentation, or user guides. By combining the Java Scanner class with IronPDF, you can create powerful Java applications that not only interact with users through the console but also generate dynamic PDF reports based on user input and data.

Setting Up IronPDF

To use IronPDF in your Java project, you first need to include the IronPDF library as a dependency. This can be done by adding the IronPDF package to your pom.xml file for Maven:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironpdf</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf</artifactId>
    <version>2024.9</version>
</dependency>

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironpdf</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf</artifactId>
    <version>2024.9</version>
</dependency>

This setup ensures that all the necessary classes and methods for working with IronPDF are available in your Java environment. Once installed, make sure to import the relevant libraries in your Java file.

Writing Code to Collect Data with Scanner

The Scanner class in Java is used to gather user input. Create an instance of Scanner and use it to capture different types of input, such as strings and integers.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class PdfCreator {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

        System.out.print("Enter your name: ");
        String name = scanner.nextLine();  // Uses nextLine() to include spaces in input

        System.out.print("Enter your age: ");
        int age = scanner.nextInt();  // Reads an integer input

        // Consumes the remaining line separator left by nextInt()
        scanner.nextLine(); 

        System.out.print("Enter your occupation: ");
        String occupation = scanner.nextLine();  // Uses nextLine() to include spaces in the occupation input

        scanner.close();  // Closing the scanner to free up resources

        // Generate PDF using IronPDF
        createPdf(name, age, occupation);
    }

    public static void createPdf(String name, int age, String occupation) {
        // PDF creation code will go here using IronPDF
    }
}

import java.util.Scanner;

public class PdfCreator {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

        System.out.print("Enter your name: ");
        String name = scanner.nextLine();  // Uses nextLine() to include spaces in input

        System.out.print("Enter your age: ");
        int age = scanner.nextInt();  // Reads an integer input

        // Consumes the remaining line separator left by nextInt()
        scanner.nextLine(); 

        System.out.print("Enter your occupation: ");
        String occupation = scanner.nextLine();  // Uses nextLine() to include spaces in the occupation input

        scanner.close();  // Closing the scanner to free up resources

        // Generate PDF using IronPDF
        createPdf(name, age, occupation);
    }

    public static void createPdf(String name, int age, String occupation) {
        // PDF creation code will go here using IronPDF
    }
}

This sample code reads user data like name, age, and occupation using Scanner and stores them in variables that can later be passed to a method to generate a PDF.

Generating and Saving the PDF

Once the user input is captured, you can use IronPDF to create a PDF. Below is an example of creating and saving a PDF using IronPDF:

import com.ironpdf.PdfDocument;

public static void createPdf(String name, int age, String occupation) {
    // Create a new PDF document
    PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument();

    // Add user input as content in the PDF
    pdf.addHtml("<h1>User Information</h1>");
    pdf.addHtml("<p>Name: " + name + "</p>");
    pdf.addHtml("<p>Age: " + age + "</p>");
    pdf.addHtml("<p>Occupation: " + occupation + "</p>");

    // Save the PDF to a file
    pdf.saveAs("UserDetails.pdf");
}

import com.ironpdf.PdfDocument;

public static void createPdf(String name, int age, String occupation) {
    // Create a new PDF document
    PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument();

    // Add user input as content in the PDF
    pdf.addHtml("<h1>User Information</h1>");
    pdf.addHtml("<p>Name: " + name + "</p>");
    pdf.addHtml("<p>Age: " + age + "</p>");
    pdf.addHtml("<p>Occupation: " + occupation + "</p>");

    // Save the PDF to a file
    pdf.saveAs("UserDetails.pdf");
}

This code creates a new PDF document using IronPDF, adds HTML-formatted content with the user's input, and saves it as a file. IronPDF simplifies PDF generation by supporting HTML to PDF conversion and various formatting options, making it an ideal choice for integrating with user inputs in Java applications.