(JAVA)

Single-Customer Rewards System

Understand the Application

Foothill Fro-Yo, LLC, gives customers a stamp every time they purchase a yogurt. After they earn a certain number of stamps, they qualify for a free yogurt, which they may use toward the purchase of a single yogurt.

Usually 7 is the number of stamps that qualifies, but we will let this be a symbolic constant which we can change. But for the purposes of this section, let's say that 7 stamps earn a free yogurt.

The program will be an app that runs at the point-of-purchase (cash register counter). The customer or cashier will process a looping series of purchase transactions. Normally, each transaction asks how many yogurts the customer wants to buy and then awards them one stamp for each yogurt. However, if, at the start of a new transaction, the system detects that the customer has previously earned 7 or more credits (= stamps), the system will inform the operator (customer or cashier) and give the operator the option of using 7 credits toward a free yogurt. The customer may accept the free yogurt, in which case the number of stamps in his account is decreased by 7, and a single free yogurt is dispensed, or the customer declines, which turns this into a normal transaction, allowing the customer to purchase one or more yogurts, adding to the credits that the customer already has.

Besides offering a purchase transaction each pass of the main execution loop, the only other choice is for the operator to shut down the system for the day.

So the main loop has two choices: P: process a Purchase, or S: Shut down.

Because we don't have arrays yet, this has to be a single-customer system.

The Program Spec

Process transactions in a main loop. Start the user's stamp balance at 0. Then enter that loop which starts by giving the user two choices at each pass:

P (process a Purchase)

S (Shut down.)

The user is allowed to enter a single character or an entire word or even multiple words separated by spaces and the program continues until and unless the user has entered an "s", "S", "Shut down", "stratford", "support your local CC", or any word/phrase beginning with an upper or lower case 's', in which case the program should end. If the user enters a word/phrase that starts with any character other than a 'P' or 'S' (upper or lower case), the letter is ignored and the main menu is repeated, starting a new loop.

Specifics of the P Selection

If the operators chooses 'P', then the program checks to see how many credits the customer has. (Remember, in this simplified exercise, there is only one customer.) If there are fewer than the qualifying number (set to 7), then a normal transaction is executed. If there are 7 or more credits in the customer's account, an award transaction is executed.

Normal Transaction

Ask the user/operator how many yogurts are being purchased, and add this number to the customers account/wallet/stamps. At the end of the transaction, display the total/accumulated number of stamps earned so far, including the current transaction.

Award Transaction

Tell the user/operator that the customer qualifies for a free yogurt.

If the user opts for a free yogurt, give them one yogurt, display the new, reduced total number of stamps available and end the transaction, moving on to the next pass. To keep things simple, we will not allow purchase of multiple yogurts when an award yogurt is being redeemed. We reduce the number of credits by 7 (or whatever the qualifying number is for our system). We don't add any credits/stamps for the award yogurt. Even if the user has, say, 24 stamps, they can only get one yogurt in a single transaction, and the new balance will be 24 - 7 = 17, allowing the user to get another free yogurt on the next transaction.

If the user opts to not take the award, then the sequence of events turns into a Normal Transaction, in which the user can request to purchase one or more yogurts and the corresponding number of stamps is credited to the customer's balance.

Input Errors

Whenever the user makes an input error, cancel the transaction and proceed to the next loop pass (i.e., don't end the program). Do not attempt to keep the user in some sort of micro user-input loop, forcing them to stay within that transaction.

Always check for invalid user input like an invalid character choice, a negative number or an out-of-range numeric value, before proceeding. If the user commits an error of any kind (a bad command letter such as 'T' or an out-of-range amount), print an error message and return to the top of the main loop which asks the user for another command: P or S.

There is one exception to the error check just described. When it is time for the user to enter a number, you can assume he does not type some non-numeric value. You don't have to test for this kind of non-numeric error.

Do Not Use Methods

Even though we may have started reading about methods, don't use them for this assignment. We haven't completed their study and you will likely lose points for incorrect usage.

Test Run Requirements:

Submit at least two runs that shows everything. In each run, show several cycles (passes) of the loop. Specifically, in at least one run include at least 6 purchase transactions and at least two free yogurts along with the invalid input. Beyond that, make sure you demonstrate all options. Also demonstrate the capacity to get either single letters or entire words from the user, showing at least one user-input error (an illegal choice) and one bad numeric input (out-of-range error).

A (partial) sample run is given at the bottom of this page.

Use symbolic constants, not literals, for everything you can in this (and all) assignments.

Sample Output

Here is an example of a partial working run:

 Menu: P (process Purchase) S (Shut down) Your Choice: d *** Use P or S, please. *** Menu: P (process Purchase) S (Shut down) Your Choice: push How many yogurts would you like to buy ? 14 You just earned 14 stamps and have a total of 14 to use. Menu: P (process Purchase) S (Shut down) Your Choice: P You qualify for a free yogurt. Would you like to use your credits? (Y or N) n How many yogurts would you like to buy ? 21 You just earned 21 stamps and have a total of 35 to use. Menu: P (process Purchase) S (Shut down) Your Choice: p You qualify for a free yogurt. Would you like to use your credits? (Y or N) j *** Invalid response *** Menu: P (process Purchase) S (Shut down) Your Choice: p You qualify for a free yogurt. Would you like to use your credits? (Y or N) n How many yogurts would you like to buy ? 2 You just earned 2 stamps and have a total of 37 to use. Menu: P (process Purchase) S (Shut down) Your Choice: proc You qualify for a free yogurt. Would you like to use your credits? (Y or N) y You have just used 7 credits and have 30 left. Enjoy your free yogurt. ... etc.