| 35 | Picking a Winner |
Arrays don’t have to be hard-coded. You can take user input and store it in an array and then work with it.
Create a program that picks a winner for a contest or prize drawing. Prompt for names of contestants until the user leaves the entry blank. Then randomly select a winner.
Example Output
| | Enter a name: Homer |
| | Enter a name: Bart |
| | Enter a name: Maggie |
| | Enter a name: Lisa |
| | Enter a name: Moe |
| | Enter a name: |
| | The winner is... Maggie. |
Constraints
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Use a loop to capture user input into an array.
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Use a random number generator to pluck a value from the array.
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Don’t include a blank entry in the array.
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Some languages require that you define the length of the array ahead of time. You may need to find another data structure, like an ArrayList.
Challenges
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When a winner is chosen, remove the winner from the list of contestants and allow more winners to be chosen.
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Make a GUI program that shows the array of names being shuffled on the screen before a winner is chosen.
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Create a separate contest registration application. Use this program to pull in all registered users and pick a winner.