How to properly use tab spaces in Java for a 5x5 2D array?

Question

I want my 2D array to actually output as a normal 5x5 grid rather than in a horizontal line or a vertical line, this is my code so far. (I'm using String for the numbers because I need to later replace them with "XX")

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class assignMain {

    // Global declarations.
    public static Scanner choice = new Scanner(System.in);
    public static String player1 = "Player 1's card:";
    public static String player2 = "Player 2's card:";
    public static int i;
    public static int j;

    public static void main (String[] args) {
        // Declare list to contain used numbers.
        List<Scanner> usedNums = new ArrayList<>();
        usedNums.add(choice);

        // Declare card 1 numbers
        String[][] card1 = { {"24", "2", "8", "1", "25"},
                            {"12", "16", "7", "17", "15"},
                            {"5", "6", "20", "19", "13" },
                            {"14", "23", "22", "4", "3" },
                            {"10", "18", "11", "21", "9"} };
        // Declare card 2 numbers
        String[][] card2 = { {"24", "21", "17", "15", "6"},
                            {"10", "3", "8", "18", "20"  },
                            {"14", "7", "16", "12", "5"  },
                            {"25", "23", "13", "19", "11"},
                            {"22", "4", "9", "1", "2"    } };
        printCard(card1, card2);
    }

    public static void printCard(String[][] card1, String[][] card2) {
        System.out.println(player1);
        for(i = 0; i < card1.length; i++) {
            for(j = 0; j < card1.length; j++) {
                System.out.println(card1[i][j]);
                System.out.println();
            }
        }

    }
}

The current output is :

Player 1's card:
24

2

8

1

25

12

16

7

17

15

5

6

20

19

13

14

23

22

4

3

10

18

11

21

9

What I'd like the output to be :

Player 1's card:
24  2  8  1 25
12 16  7 17 15
 5  6 20 19 13
14 23 22  4  3
10 18 11 21  9

Basically want the grid to be symmetric and not all random, I intend to use \\t if that's possible, if not then I'll be ok with other solutions which aren't too complicated. Please and thank you.

Answer 1

Try this

String[][] card1 = { {"24", "2", "8", "1", "25"},
                {"12", "16", "7", "17", "15"},
                {"5", "6", "20", "19", "13" },
                {"14", "23", "22", "4", "3" },
                {"10", "18", "11", "21", "9"} };

        for (int i = 0; i < card1.length; i++) {
            for (int j = 0; j < card1.length; j++) {
                    System.out.print(card1[i][j]);
                System.out.print(" "); // you can replace this with "\t"
            }
            System.out.print("\n");
        }

Answer 2

Try this.

String[][] card1 = {
    {"24", "2", "8", "1", "25"},
    {"12", "16", "7", "17", "15"},
    {"5", "6", "20", "19", "13"},
    {"14", "23", "22", "4", "3"},
    {"10", "18", "11", "21", "9"}};

for (String[] row : card1) {
    for (String e : row)
        System.out.printf("%2s ", e);
    System.out.println();
}

output:

24  2  8  1 25 
12 16  7 17 15 
 5  6 20 19 13 
14 23 22  4  3 
10 18 11 21  9 

Answer 3

Replace

System.out.println(card1[i][j])

With

System.out.print(card1[i][j])

And

Move this line one step down (after loop of j completed)

System.out.println()

For space use 01 instead of 1 or put manual condition to check value less then 10 then modify it accordingly

Answer 4

Looks like you just need to learn to use System.out.print in place of System.out.println . Doing this will leave off the newline. You may also wish to use System.out.printf to print each string as two characters.

See the documentation for further details.