Java How to loop until variable is equal to a specific type (String/int)

Question

Hi I'm currently developing a small booking program, I'm curios to know if i can use a Loop to run until a variable is equal to a specific type, notably a String or An Integer. For example i have the following below, and I want the user to always enter a number.

If not, am i right in presuming i should just develop a try/catch etc.?

Regards.

  public int SetHouseNo(){   
  System.out.println();        
  System.out.print("Please enter your house number:   ");    
  HouseNo=in.nextInt();
  return HouseNo; 
  }

Answer 1

How to validate that the user entered an integer, without throwing or catching an exception:

Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);

while (!sc.hasNextInt()) { // <-- 'peeks' at, doesn't remove, the next token
    System.out.println("Please enter a number!");
    sc.next(); // <-- skips over an invalid token
}

return sc.nextInt();

• Scanner.next()
• Scanner.hasNextInt()
• Validating input using java.util.Scanner

Answer 2

Try/catch is overkill. This is a job for do/while.

int house;
do {
  house = in.nextInt();
while (house isn't right for whatever reason);