Question

Write a method that draws a rectangle on the screen using ASCII characters. This method will prompt the user for the height and width of the rectangle. Use the following ASCII values for the box characters: 218 upper left-hand corner, 217 lower right-hand corner, 196 top and bottom, 192 lower left-hand corner, 191 upper right-hand corner, and 179 left and right sides. Using Java

Answer 1

There are many methods to draw a rectangle from ASCII values.

Here, I used a very simple method for the Answer using loops.

The comments are specified in bold and italic letters.

The required java code is as follows :-

import java.util.*;

public class Main //Class for the program
{
public static void main(String []args) //Main Method
{
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in); //Object of Scanner Class
  
/************************************************************************************
* For getting the symbols from the given ASCII Values :-
* Press "alt" and "ASCII value" of that symbol on keyboard.
* In the keep 'alt' pressed whole time and after entering ASCII value release it.
* You will find the desired symbol on the screen.
* For example :- for ASCII value 196,
* Press 'alt' and '196'. The symbol '─' will appear on screen.
************************************************************************************/
  
//character data types for storing the required symbols.
char top_left = '┌'; //for upper left hand side
char top_right = '┐'; //for upper right hand side
char bottom_left = '└'; //for lower left hand side
char bottom_right = '┘'; //for lower right hand side
char top_bottom = '─'; //for top and bottom walls
char sides = '│'; //for the left and right side walls
  
/**********************************************************
* For Taking input.
* Enter height and width of the rectangle.
* The height and width entered should not be less than 2.
**********************************************************/
  
System.out.println("Enter the dimensions of Rectangle");
System.out.println("(The dimensions of Rectangle should be greater than or equal to 2)");
System.out.println("Height :");
int height;
height = sc.nextInt();
System.out.println("width :");
int width;
width = sc.nextInt();
System.out.println( "Required Rectangle is as follows : " );
  
/*****************************************************************
* For printing first line of the rectangle.
* First print upper left side symbol.
* Then print a top bottom wall symbol for balancing,
* as the size of corner symbol is different.
* Then print top bottom walls for width-2 iterations.
* (top bottom walls are printed 2 times for 1 left right walls,
* as the size of left right wall is double of top bottom wall).
* Then print upper right side symbol.
*****************************************************************/
  
System.out.print(top_left);
System.out.print(top_bottom);
for( int i = 0 ; i < width-2 ; i++ )
{
System.out.print(top_bottom);
System.out.print(top_bottom);
  
}
System.out.println(top_right);
  
/******************************************************************
*For printing next lines of the rectangle except lastr line.
* Use a loop of height-2 iterations.
* For each line, first print the left right wall symbol.
* Then print a space.
* Now print double space for width-2 times.
* (space are printed 2 times for 1 iteration,
* as the size of left right wall is double of space).
* And finally print the left side wall symbol.
******************************************************************/
  
for( int j = 0 ; j < height-2 ; j++ )
{
System.out.print(sides);
System.out.print(" ");
for( int i = 0 ; i < width-2 ; i++ )
System.out.print(" ");
System.out.println(sides);
}
  
/*****************************************************************
* For printing last line of the rectangle.
* First print lower left side symbol.
* Then print a top bottom wall symbol for balancing,
* as the size of corner symbol is different.
* Then print top bottom walls for width-2 iterations.
* (top bottom walls are printed 2 times for 1 left right walls,
* as the size of left right wall is double of top bottom wall).
* Then print lower right side symbol.
*****************************************************************/
System.out.print(bottom_left);
System.out.print(top_bottom);
for( int i = 0 ; i < width-2 ; i++ )
{
System.out.print(top_bottom);
System.out.print(top_bottom);
}
System.out.println(bottom_right);
}
}

The screenshot for different input and output is as follows :-

Execute h Result $javac Main.java 2 2 $java -Xmx128M -Xms16M Main Enter the dimensions of Rectangle (The dimensions of Rectangle should be greater than or equal to 2) Height width Required Rectangle is as follows

Execute | lI Result $javac Main.java 10 10 $java -Xmx128M -XMS16M Main Enter the dimensions of Rectangle (The dimensions of Rectangle should be greater than or equal to 2) Height width Required Rectangle is as follows

I Result Execute $javac Main.java 10 5 $java -Xmx128M -XMS16M Main Enter the dimensions of Rectangle (The dimensions of Rectangle should be greater than or Height width equal to 2) follows Required Rectangle is as I

LI Result Execute $javac Main.java 5 10 $java -Xmx128M -Xms16M Main Enter the dimensions of Rectangle (The dimensions of Rectangle should be greater than or equal to 2) Height width Required Rectangle is as follows