CompSci

251: Fall 2011 Programming Assignment #8 Due Tuesday, November 29, 11:59pm
Topics Covered: Exception Handling, Files, String

For this program, you will implement a very simple mail merge. In a mail merge, a form letter or similar document is written with blanks at various places (e.g. first name, last name, address, etc.). This is then merged with a database containing entries appropriate for filling in the blanks. For simplicity, we will store both the form letter and the database as text files. The Database For simplicity, we will use db format to store our database: this consists of a text file with exactly one database entry per line. The entry is represented as a colon- separated list of fields. The file below has entries with three fields, title, first name, and last name. names.txt:
:Mr:Wilberforce:Gates: :Ms:Alex:Trumbull: :Dr:Felix:Unger: :Dr:Dre:

Notice that your program should work with any file formatted as above--that is, you cannot know the number of fields each entry has in advance. You will be responsible for writing the DbEntry Class (UML below). Each DbEntry object represents exactly one entry from the database (line in the db file). DbEntry - fields : ArrayList<String> + DbEntry(String) + getFieldfield : int) throws IndexOutOfBoundsException : String + toString() : String The constructor takes a string in db format and initializes the DbEntry object accordingly - so that it has the same number of fields, with the same values. The getField method takes the index for the field and returns its value. IMPORTANT: DbEntry fields are indexed starting at 1, unlike ArrayList elements. If there is no entry at that index, your implementation of getField throws an IndexOutOfBoundsException (you can just let the IndexOutofBoundsException thrown by the ArrayList pass through.). The toString method returns the entry written in db format.

 The Form Letter The form letter will be stored in a text file that contains the basics of the letter, but with some blank slots, which we will denote with two blocks of three pound signs. Thus, ###1### will represent a blank to be filled by the value from the first field of each database entry. (A more sophisticated mail merge program would use named fields instead.) One example form letter would be the file sales.txt, shown below. sales.txt:
Dear ###2###, We here at WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC, are honored to be able to bring you, ###1### ###2### ###3###, the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, ###1### ###3###, you can get in on the ground floor of WidgetMatic Widget Works, LLC's latest expansion---into cyberspace!!! For the insanely low price of $1,000.00, you, ###1### ###2### ###3### can pre-order a case of 50 (yes, FIFTY), of our new virtual widgets. These new virtual widgets can be used for virtually anything. And, at $20 each, they are virtually a steal. Hurry ###2### - quantities will be limited! Regards, Albert Schweitzer WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC VP of Marketing

You will write a FormLetter class, objects of which represent form letters inside the program. The UML for a form letter is shown below: FormLetter - filename : String + FormLetter(filename : String) + getFilename() : String + fillForm(e : DbEntry, outputFilename : String) : boolean The fillForm method actually performs the mail merge, taking the DbEntry that will be used to fill the blanks and the name of the resulting output file and producing the appropriate output file.

 Several things could go wrong in this method. Your program must handle every exception that might be thrown by the Java API classes that you are using and by the DbEntry class. The possible exceptions are: One of the files might not open. In this case, the method should print an appropriate error message and return false. If they both open, the method will return true when it has finished processing the form. The blank may not be well-formed. In our implementation, a missing close ### will result in a StringIndexOutOfBoundsException. This should print an appropriate error message and replace the unmatched (opening) ### with an empty string. (There are ways to write the program that avoid this exception, but they are not straightforward. So, we cant guarantee that youll encounter it.) The part between the two ### markers might not be an integer causing a NumberFormatException. In this case, the blank should again be replaced with the empty string and an error message printed. The integer index in the blank might not correspond to an actual field in the DbEntry. If the DbEntry throws a IndexOutOfBoundsException, we will once more print an error message and replace the blank with the empty string. Note: StringIndexOutOfBoundsException is a subclass of IndexOutOfBoundsException. You may need to keep this in mind when ordering catch blocks. The format of each line will not change in the output file. The only change will be the text substitutions. The Driver Your driver will be in a separate class called MailMerge. It will prompt the user for both the database filename and the form filename. If the database file cannot be opened, the user should be allowed to re-enter filenames until either the open succeeds or the user quits. (This will also require exception handling to notice that the file didnt open.) Once both file names are correctlyentered, the program will generate a merged output file for each entry in the database. The files will be sequentially-numbered based on the filename of the original file. For example, the form letter file sales.txt will produce output files sales1.txt sales2.txt etc. Design The public class interfaces have been provided for you. However, several of the tasks being performed are fairly complex. So, you may write as many (private) helper methods as you find convenient. For example, our solution has methods for parsing an entry in db format and for generating numbered output file names.

Sample Runs:
Mail Merge ========== Enter name of database file: names.txt Enter name of form file: coupon.txt Generating form letter #1 ... Could not open file! coupon.txt (No such Unable to generate form letter #1 Generating form letter #2 ... Could not open file! coupon.txt (No such Unable to generate form letter #2 Generating form letter #3 ... Could not open file! coupon.txt (No such Unable to generate form letter #3 Generating form letter #4 ... Could not open file! coupon.txt (No such Unable to generate form letter #4 Merge completed. Goodbye!

file or directory)

file or directory)

file or directory)

file or directory)

Mail Merge ========== Enter name of database file: namz.txt Unable to open file "namz.txt" Enter different filename, or 'q' to quit: namez.txt Unable to open file "namez.txt" Enter different filename, or 'q' to quit: q Goodbye!

Mail Merge ========== Enter name of database file: name.txt Unable to open file "name.txt" Enter different filename, or 'q' to quit: nams.txt Unable to open file "nams.txt" Enter different filename, or 'q' to quit: names.txt Enter name of form file: sales.txt Generating form letter #1 ... Generating form letter #2 ... Generating form letter #3 ... Generating form letter #4 ... 4: No field #3 in entry :Dr:Dre: Using "" 5: No field #3 in entry :Dr:Dre: Using "" 10: No field #3 in entry :Dr:Dre: Using "" Merge completed.

Goodbye!

Mail Merge ========== Enter name of database file: names Unable to open file "names" Enter different filename, or 'q' to quit: names.txt Enter name of form file: offer.txt Generating form letter #1 ... 1: Poorly formatted blank number; Skipping. 1: Poorly formatted blank marker; Skipping. 9: No field #0 in entry :Mr:Wilberforce:Gates: Using "" Generating form letter #2 ... 1: Poorly formatted blank number; Skipping. 1: Poorly formatted blank marker; Skipping. 9: No field #0 in entry :Ms:Alex:Trumbull: Using "" Generating form letter #3 ... 1: Poorly formatted blank number; Skipping. 1: Poorly formatted blank marker; Skipping. 9: No field #0 in entry :Dr:Felix:Unger: Using "" Generating form letter #4 ... 1: Poorly formatted blank number; Skipping. 1: Poorly formatted blank marker; Skipping. 5: No field #3 in entry :Dr:Dre: Using "" 9: No field #0 in entry :Dr:Dre: Using "" 9: No field #3 in entry :Dr:Dre: Using "" Merge completed. Goodbye!

Files The files names.txt and sales.txt used in the sample runs are shown above. Here are the other files referenced in the sample runs. sales1.txt:
Dear Wilberforce, We here at WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC, are honored to be able to bring you, Mr Wilberforce Gates, the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, Mr Gates, you can get in on the ground floor of WidgetMatic Widget Works, LLC's latest expansion---into cyberspace!!! For the insanely low price of $1,000.00, you, Mr Wilberforce Gates can pre-order a case of 50 (yes, FIFTY), of our new virtual widgets. These new virtual widgets can be used

for virtually anything. And, at $20 each, they are virtually a steal. Hurry Wilberforce - quantities will be limited! Regards, Albert Schweitzer WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC VP of Marketing

sales2.txt:

Dear Alex, We here at WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC, are honored to be able to bring you, Ms Alex Trumbull, the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, Ms Trumbull, you can get in on the ground floor of WidgetMatic Widget Works, LLC's latest expansion---into cyberspace!!! For the insanely low price of $1,000.00, you, Ms Alex Trumbull can pre-order a case of 50 (yes, FIFTY), of our new virtual widgets. These new virtual widgets can be used for virtually anything. And, at $20 each, they are virtually a steal. Hurry Alex - quantities will be limited! Regards, Albert Schweitzer WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC VP of Marketing

sales3.txt:

Dear Felix, We here at WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC, are honored to be able to bring you, Dr Felix Unger, the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, Dr Unger, you can get in on the ground floor of WidgetMatic Widget Works, LLC's latest expansion---into cyberspace!!! For the insanely low price of $1,000.00, you, Dr Felix Unger can pre-order a case of 50 (yes, FIFTY), of our new virtual widgets. These new virtual widgets can be used for virtually anything. And, at $20 each, they are virtually a steal. Hurry Felix - quantities will be

limited! Regards, Albert Schweitzer WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC VP of Marketing

sales4.txt:

Dear Dre, We here at WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC, are honored to be able to bring you, Dr Dre , the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, Dr , you can get in on the ground floor of WidgetMatic Widget Works, LLC's latest expansion---into cyberspace!!! For the insanely low price of $1,000.00, you, Dr Dre can pre-order a case of 50 (yes, FIFTY), of our new virtual widgets. These new virtual widgets can be used for virtually anything. And, at $20 each, they are virtually a steal. Hurry Dre - quantities will be limited! Regards, Albert Schweitzer WidgetMatics Widget Works, LLC VP of Marketing

offer.txt:

Hello ###1## ###name### So ###2### you are wondering where your money went. We at Fourteenth National Bank now offer you, ###1### ###3### a special service for our best customers. For $29.95 a month, we will track all you're account balances. Just send us all your account infomation, you're social security number, and your mother's maiden name and we will keep ###0### ###3###'s money safe. We look forward to yore business.

offer1.txt:

Hello name

So Wilberforce you are wondering where your money went. We at Fourteenth National Bank now offer you, Mr Gates a special service for our best customers. For $29.95 a month, we will track all you're account balances. Just send us all your account infomation, you're social security number, and your mother's maiden name and we will keep Gates's money safe. We look forward to yore business.

offer2.txt:

Hello name So Alex you are wondering where your money went. We at Fourteenth National Bank now offer you, Ms Trumbull a special service for our best customers. For $29.95 a month, we will track all you're account balances. Just send us all your account infomation, you're social security number, and your mother's maiden name and we will keep Trumbull's money safe. We look forward to yore business.

offer3.txt:
Hello name So Felix you are wondering where your money went. We at Fourteenth National Bank now offer you, Dr Unger a special service for our best customers. For $29.95 a month, we will track all you're account balances. Just send us all your account infomation, you're social security number, and your mother's maiden name and we will keep Unger's money safe. We look forward to yore business.

offer4.txt:

Hello name So Dre you are wondering where your money went. We at Fourteenth National Bank now offer you, Dr a special service for our best customers. For $29.95 a month, we will track all you're account balances. Just send us all your account infomation,

you're social security number, and your mother's maiden name and we will keep 's money safe. We look forward to yore business.