Any alternatives to using system.in in a java console App built with Gradle?

Question

I have a basic console app where I'm just trying to use a simple Scanner in a while loop to catch user input. I've tried putting standardInput = System.in in the build.gradle , but my program doesn't block when it should to wait for input.

while (stillWriting) {
        System.out.println(
                        "Press 1 to write something,\n" +
                        "Press 2 to erase something,\n" +
                        "Press 3 to exit."
        );
        //if you select 1, it goes into the case, but does not block
        //then ends up here again.
        int userSelection = scanner.nextInt();
        switch (userSelection) {
            case 1:
                System.out.println("Enter text to be written: ");
                 //vvvvvv should block here but doesn't. vvvvvv
                String textToWrite = scanner.nextLine();
                paper = pencil.write(paper, textToWrite);
                break;
            case 2:
                //some code
                break;
            case 3:
                stillWriting = false;
                break;
            default:
                System.out.println(userSelection + " is not valid.");
                break;
        }
    }

Are there any alternatives or jars I can use that make it block correctly and actually wait for input?

Answer 1

turns out in each case that you want to take input, if you just reassign a new Scanner() to the scanner variable, it will correctly block.

Still won't pick up a newline character though.

Answer 2

You have to consume the <Enter> that the user inputs to make his choice, otherwise it would (instantly) be consumed by your String textToWrite = scanner.nextLine(); :

[...]

int userSelection = scanner.nextInt();
scanner.nextLine();   // <-- consume the <enter>

switch (userSelection) {

[...]