Could someone give me some advice on control structures.

Hi, I am in a introduction to java class and I am having a bit of trouble figuring out how to write this while loop. The program needs to repeat itself over and over again until the user enters done at the prompt to enter the employee's name. Could anyone give me some suggestions about where I am going wrong here? Thanks in advance for any help you guys could give me.

//Payroll1 Java Program
//Program to calculate and employess pay based on hourly rate and hours worked.
//Terry Wise 10-17-08
import java.util.Scanner;//Program uses utility scanner

public class Payroll1
{
// Main method begins execution of Java application.
public static void main( String args[] )
{
// Create scanner to recieve input
Scanner input = new Scanner( System.in );

double rate; //employees rate of pay
double hours; //numbers of hours worked
double pay; //equals the employees rate of pay
String newname = "stop";

while ( !newname.equals( "stop" ) );
{
System.out.print( "Enter the employee's name or stop to quit: " ); //prompt for employees name
newname = input.nextLine();
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

System.out.print( "Enter the employee's rate of pay: " ); //prompt for rate of pay
rate = input.nextDouble(); //Get rate of pay from user
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

System.out.print( "Enter the numbers of hours worked: " ); //promt for hours
hours = input.nextDouble(); // Get hours worked from user
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

pay = rate * hours; //find employees pay

System.out.printf( newname ); //Prints the employee's name
System.out.printf( "'s pay is $%.2f", pay ); // Displays the employee's rate of pay
System.out.println();
}
System.out.println( "Goodbye" );

} // end method main
} // end class Payroll1

My apologies the While statement in my code reads

While ( newname != "stop" )

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 10/19/2008 14:39:40

I would try this just a bit differently. Something like:

And to compare Strings the code above is what you want. Using the "==" or "!=" does not work as that only compares the addresses of the Strings, not the contents.

Okay here is what I have now, but when I try to compile it I get this message:
Payroll1.java:26: break outside switch or loop
break
^
1 error

//Payroll1 Java Program
//Program to calculate and employess pay based on hourly rate and hours worked.
//Terry Wise 10-17-08
import java.util.Scanner;//Program uses utility scanner

public class Payroll1
{
// Main method begins execution of Java application.
public static void main( String args[] )
{
// Create scanner to recieve input
Scanner input = new Scanner( System.in );

double rate; //employees rate of pay
double hours; //numbers of hours worked
double pay; //equals the employees rate of pay
String newname = null;

while ( true )
{
System.out.print( "Enter the employee's name or stop to quit: " ); //prompt for employees name
newname = input.nextLine();
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs
if ( newname.equals( "stop" ) )
break;
}
System.out.print( "Enter the employee's rate of pay: " ); //prompt for rate of pay
rate = input.nextDouble(); //Get rate of pay from user
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

System.out.print( "Please, enter a positive number: " ); //prompt for rate of pay
rate = input.nextDouble(); //Get rate of pay from user
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

System.out.print( "Enter the numbers of hours worked: " ); //promt for hours
hours = input.nextDouble(); // Get hours worked from user
System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

pay = rate * hours; //find employees pay

System.out.printf( newname ); //Prints the employee's name
System.out.printf( "'s pay is $%.2f", pay ); // Displays the employee's rate of pay
System.out.println();

} // end method main
} // end class Payroll1

I copied the code you have exactly and did not get a syntax error. But it won't do what you want. You'll want to wrap the other areas where you read the rest of the variables in the same while loop.

Like this:

import java.util.Scanner;//Program uses utility scanner

public class Payroll1
{
// Main method begins execution of Java application.
    public static void main( String args[] )
    {
// Create scanner to recieve input
        Scanner input = new Scanner( System.in );

double rate; //employees rate of pay
        double hours; //numbers of hours worked
        double pay; //equals the employees rate of pay
        String newname = null;

while ( true )
        {
            System.out.print( "Enter the employee's name or stop to quit: " ); //prompt for employees name
            newname = input.nextLine();
            System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs
            if ( newname.equals( "stop" ) )
                break;

System.out.print( "Enter the employee's rate of pay: " ); //prompt for rate of pay
            rate = input.nextDouble(); //Get rate of pay from user
            System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

System.out.print( "Please, enter a positive number: " ); //prompt for rate of pay
            rate = input.nextDouble(); //Get rate of pay from user
            System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

System.out.print( "Enter the numbers of hours worked: " ); //promt for hours
            hours = input.nextDouble(); // Get hours worked from user
            System.out.println(); // Makes space between inputs

pay = rate * hours; //find employees pay

System.out.printf( newname ); //Prints the employee's name
            System.out.printf( "'s pay is $%.2f", pay ); // Displays the employee's rate of pay
            System.out.println();
        }
    } // end method main
} // end class Payroll1

I keep getting the statement that I am am using break outside of a switch or loop? Do you know how to fix this?

Okay I have the program working the way I want except for one thing. It works fine the first time through the loop, but the second time it skips the step where I input the name, can you see what I've done wrong that would cause this?

//Payroll1 Java Program
//Program to calculate and employess pay based on hourly rate and hours worked.
//Terry Wise 10-21-08
import java.util.Scanner;//Program uses utility scanner

public class Payroll4
{
// Main method begins execution of Java application.
public static void main( String args[] )
{
// Create scanner to recieve input
Scanner input = new Scanner( System.in );

double rate; //employees rate of pay
double hours; //numbers of hours worked
double pay; //equals the employees rate of pay
String newname = null;

while (true) { // creates loop that runs until stop is entered.
// get Name
System.out.println("Enter the name of the employee or stop to exit:");
newname = input.nextLine();
if (newname.equals("stop")) break; // exits the program if stop is entered.

// get Rate
System.out.println("Enter the hourly rate:");// Gets employees rate of pay
rate = input.nextDouble();
while (rate <= 0) { // Until we gate a valid rate
System.out.println("Invalid rate. Please reenter the rate:");
rate = input.nextDouble();
}

// get Hours
System.out.println("Enter the hours:");
hours = input.nextDouble();
while (hours <= 0) { // Until we get valid hours
System.out.println("Invalid hours. Please reenter the hours:");
hours = input.nextDouble();

}
pay = rate * hours; //find employees pay

System.out.printf( newname ); //Prints the employee's name
System.out.printf( "'s pay is $%.2f", pay ); // Displays the employee's rate of pay
System.out.println();
}
} // end method
}// end class

Change the code:

to

the nextLine() call seems to not do what you want.