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Java Java Objects (Retired) Delivering the MVP Defaulting Parameters

Noelle Acheson
Noelle Acheson
610 Points

Program works in preview, but I get an error message saying it doesn't work

Hello, in "Preview" I get 2 System.out statements, one about the 5 Pez dispenser order, and one with the 1 Pez dispenser order. But when I "check" the work, I get an error message that says that the program doesn't recognize my 1 Pez dispenser order. But the compiler does, so I'm confused. What am I doing wrong?

Example.java
public class Example {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    ShoppingCart cart = new ShoppingCart();
    Product pez = new Product("Cherry PEZ refill (12 pieces)");
    cart.addItem(pez, 5);
    /* Since a quantity of 1 is such a common argument when adding a product to the cart,
     * your fellow developers have asked you to make the following code work, as well as keeping
     * the ability to add a product and a quantity.
     */
    Product dispenser = new Product("Yoda PEZ dispenser");
    /* Uncomment the line following this comment,
       after adding a new method using method signatures,
       to solve their request in ShoppingCart.java
    */
    cart.addItem(dispenser);
  }

}
ShoppingCart.java
public class ShoppingCart {

  public void addItem(Product item, int quantity) {
    System.out.printf("Adding %d of %s to the cart.%n", quantity, item.getName());
    /* Other code omitted for clarity. Please imagine
       lots and lots of code here. Don't repeat it. 
    */
  }

  public void addItem(Product item) {
    System.out.printf("Adding 1 %s to the cart.%n", item.getName());
  }
}
Product.java
public class Product {
  /* Other code omitted for clarity, but you could imagine
     it would store price, options like size and color
  */
  private String mName;

  public Product(String name) {
      mName = name;
  }

  public String getName() {
      return mName;
  }
}

2 Answers

Logan R
Logan R
22,989 Points

You're on the right track. Instead of implementing the same method twice, just call the method and pass in the argument of 1.

public void addItem(Product item) {
    addItem(item, 1);
}

Imagine you had a different program where such message is used in 20 methods. Now what happens when you need to change that message? It's quite easy to miss some places and that may cause undesired issues. Therefore we must not repeat ourselves (hence DRY). So in the new method you create, it's better the call the old method where the message is already written. That way you can change the message on only one place if needed be. Meaning:

public void addItem(Product item) {
  addItem(item, 1);
}