# Console-based Input -- Counter Implementation
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948
**Category:** Coding Questions
**Created:** [April 4, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948 "2019-04-04T03:57:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@clevelandbrowns](https://discourse.processing.org/u/clevelandbrowns)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948/1 "2019-04-04T03:57:51Z")
I’m attempting to write a program in which the user must input three variables. The first is a string which simply stores a name. The second is a string which gets converted to an integer using parseInt. The third is a string array with five objects.
All are being done in CONSOLE mode and console mode only. No mouse input, only keyboard.
For all, text is entered with the enter/return key. This is also what triggers variable storage.
All three work on their own. Each is an individual function to populate a class with three variables. (String, int, string array). However, when worked in succession, the return key seems to trigger the others.
The solution seemed to be a counter, which would implement which function is run at each time. After data entry, this counter variable counts up with a ++ at the end of it.
It just doesn’t seem to work. How can I make it so that each function runs individually without overlap? I don’t want to see parts of another function get populated with the key input from the first one or start running early.
---
### Author:  [@kll](https://discourse.processing.org/u/kll)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2019, 5:21am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948/2 "2019-04-04T05:21:53Z")
i think that might be possible, but you must “talk” with the user what input is required next
or you make up some code at time of input
```auto
void keyPressed() {
if ( keyCode == ENTER ) {
send = trim(in); // store
in = ""; // reset
if ( diagp ) println("ENTER "+send);
String[] sendsplit = split(send, '=');
if ( diagp ) println(sendsplit);
if ( sendsplit[0].equals("a") ) { // parameter a
name_a = sendsplit[1];
println("name "+name_a);
} else if ( sendsplit[0].equals("b") ) { // parameter b
int_b = int(sendsplit[1]);
println("int "+int_b);
} else if ( sendsplit[0].equals("c") ) { // parameter c
list_c = split(sendsplit[1], ",");
println("list ");
printArray(list_c);
} else println("not see a=name or b=999 or c=a,b,c,d,e ");
}
in += key;
if ( diagp ) println(in);
}
```
so the user define what value to enter / change
but i think all that is ugly,
find a way to give/enter all that in a ONE LINE ?
possibly syntax would be CSV or JSON
* * *
why all the things from last topic like
small input / edit windows in canvas for this would not work in your project?
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2019, 6:19am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948/3 "2019-04-04T06:19:36Z")
> [@clevelandbrowns](#):
>
> However, when worked in succession, the return key seems to trigger the others.
Using the keypressed() FUNCTION that is not the case
Show your code
---
### Author:  [@clevelandbrowns](https://discourse.processing.org/u/clevelandbrowns)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2019, 12:45pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948/4 "2019-04-04T12:45:34Z")
Here’s the code…I have this in two tabs. This is the first tab:
```auto
Customer myCustomer;
String[] products = new String[5]; //sets up storage array variable
String getProducts=""; //sets up input placeholder variable
String name=""; //stores customer name
String getName=""; //gets customer name
String getAge="";
int l = 0; //counter for
int age;
int counter = 0;
void setup() {
}
void draw() {} //again, nothing needed
void keyPressed(){ //this is when the key is pressed
if(counter==0){
custNamer();}
if(counter==1){
Namer();}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@clevelandbrowns](https://discourse.processing.org/u/clevelandbrowns)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2019, 12:46pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/console-based-input-counter-implementation/9948/5 "2019-04-04T12:46:09Z")
This is the second tab:
```auto
class Customer
{
Customer(String getName, int getAge, String[] getProducts)//defines constructor
{
}
}
void custNamer() {
if (counter == 0) {
if ( keyCode == ENTER ) { //if user presses enter, we do the following:
println("Customer Name: "+getName); //print out what they just typed in
name=getName; //store what they typed in one of the array slots
name = ""; //clears placeholder variable
getProducts = "";
counter++;
}
else getName += key; //any alphanumeric key can be used for input
}
}
void Namer(){ //this is when the key is pressed
if (counter == 1){
if ( keyCode == ENTER ) { //if user presses enter, we do the following:
println("Product Entered: "+name); //print out what they just typed in
products[l]=getProducts; //store what they typed in one of the array slots
getProducts = ""; //clears placeholder variable
l++; //increases counter by 1
if (l >= 5) {
println(" ");
println("Products purchased:");
println(" ");
printArray(products);
counter++;
}
}
else getProducts += key; //any alphanumeric key can be used for input
//
}
}
void NumberThing() {
if(keyCode == ENTER)
{
age = Integer.parseInt(getAge);
println ("Customer age is: " +age);
getAge = "";
}
else
getAge += key;
}
```