Square.java

/**
 * Do problem 3.29 from the book, but call your program Square.java. The text 
 * for this question is: 
 * Write an application that prompts the user to enter the size of the side of 
 * a square, then displays a hollow square of that size made of asterisks. Your
 * program should work for squares of all side lengths between 1 and 20.
 * 
 * A Note From Dr. B.
 * There are 3 parts to this problem. The first is the top row of stars. After 
 * you have code that prints the top row of stars correctly, focus on printing 
 * 1 star, then the correct number of spaces,  * then the closing star. Once 
 * you can print that correctly, wrap that code inside a while loop so 
 * that you get the correct number of rows with stars at both ends. Finally, 
 * you can print the last row of complete stars.
 * 
 * @author  Klynton Jessup 
 * @version 2011-03-08
 *
 */

import java.util.Scanner;

public class Square
{
    public static void main (String[] args)
    {
        //First, declare variables.
        int x;
        int s;
        int p;
        int r = 0;
        int y = 1;
        int z = 1;
        int f = 1;
                
        Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
        
        //Next, ask for and get 'input' variables from the user
        System.out.printf("Please enter an integer: ");
        x = input.nextInt();
        
        //Next, compute the desired result, store in 'output' variables.
        s = x + 2;
        p = x - 2;
        
        //Finally, print the results to the console window.
        while (y <= x) 
        {
            System.out.printf(" * ");
            y++;
        }
        while (r < p) 
        {
            System.out.print("\n * ");
            while (z <= p) 
            {
                System.out.print("   ");
                z++;
            }
            System.out.print(" * ");
            r++;
            z=1;
        }
        System.out.print("\n");
        if (x > 1)
        {
            while (f <= x) 
            {
                System.out.printf(" * ");
                f++;
            }
            System.out.printf("\n");
        }
        else
                System.out.printf("\n");
    }
}