Problems with String's replace() method

Question

I am trying to replace parts of String starting with $ (I manually use parameters in String) but for some reason it fails. Here's what I have:

 public void sendNotificationOfAcceptedMeeting(String candidateName, DateTime dateTime) {
 Map<String,String> params = new HashMap<String,String>();
 params.put("date", dateTime.toString(DATETIME_FORMAT));
 params.put("candidate", candidateName);
 sendEmailWithTemplate(TEMPLATE_ALL_ACCEPTED, params);
 }

then:

private void sendEmailWithTemplate(String templateName, Map<String, String> params) {
 EmailTemplate template = emailTemplateDao.getEmailTemplate(templateName);
 String subject = applyTemplateParameters(template.getSubject(), params);
 String body = applyTemplateParameters(template.getTetxBody(), params);
 sendEmail(subject, body);
}

and finally:

private String applyTemplateParameters(String templateText, Map<String, String> params) {
 String toReturn = templateText;
 if (params != null) {
 System.out.println("map size: " + params.size());
 for (Entry<String, String> entry : params.entrySet()) {
 System.out.println("********************");
 System.out.println(toReturn + " ***BEFORE");
 toReturn.replace("$" + entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());
 System.out.println("$" + entry.getKey() + " ***KEY");
 System.out.println(entry.getValue() + " ***VALUE");
 System.out.println(toReturn + " AFTER");
 }
 }
 return toReturn;
}

As you probably figured, the second method calls the third method with String that I want to modify and map of parameters and their values. Second method sets the vlue of template String to:

 The meeting request at $date with $candidate was accepted by all interviewers.

However the sysouts in third method print:

 map size: 2
********************
The meeting request at $date with $candidate was 
accepted by all interviewers. ***BEFORE
$candidate ***KEY
Acceeedsasd Stetfghfghasd ***VALUE
The meeting request at $date with $candidate was 
accepted by all interviewers. AFTER
********************
The meeting request at $date with $candidate was 
accepted by all interviewers. ***BEFORE
$date ***KEY
27/12/2014 8:00 ***VALUE
The meeting request at $date with $candidate was 
accepted by all interviewers. AFTER

which clearly shows that it doesn't replace parameters... I thought maybe $ breaks it (regex) but replace(), unlike replaceAll() takes String - not regex. I'm out of ideas, any help appreciated.

Answer 1

You have to do this:

 toReturn = toReturn.replace("$" + entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());

and then print the value of toReturn

• DSS: :).. Atleast you got the answer :)

Answer 2

Try replacing the "$" in your code with "0024円"

Like this:

toReturn = toReturn.replace("0024円" + entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());

• Lucas: As I said, $ was not a problem since replace takes String as input, not regex. Thanks for trying though :)

Answer 3

The problem is that the replace method returns a String and this wasn't being used. See below where I have put the result into replacedText.

String replacedText = toReturn.replace("$" + entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());
System.out.println("$" + entry.getKey() + " ***KEY");
System.out.println(entry.getValue() + " ***VALUE");
System.out.println(replacedText+ " AFTER");

Answer 4

String is immutable, cant be replaced, just

toReturn = toReturn.replace("$...","")