Create a box using nested loops and JOptionPane

Question

i need to print a box that is equal in first number and second number example: first number = 3 second number = 3 and it will look like this

    ***
    ***
    ***

This is my code

import javax.swing.JOptionPane;

public class box{

    public static void main(String[]args){
        int a,b;
        a=Integer.parseInt(JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, "Enter first number"));
        b=Integer.parseInt(JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, "Enter second number"));

        if(a==b){
            for(int x=a; x<=b; x++){
                a++;
                for(int y=0; y<=x; y++){
                    System.out.print("*");
                }
                System.out.println();
            }
        }
        else if(a==b){


        }
        else{
            System.exit(0);
        }

    }

}

but I keep getting only this

****

Answer 1

 for(int x=a; x<=b; x++){ ... }

Since a and b are equal at this point you will run this loop only once. You have to use the two loops correctly:

for (int i = 0; i < a; i++) { // you start with zero and as many rows as entered
    for (int j = 0; j < b; j++) { // same for columns
         System.out.print("*");
    }
    System.out.println(); // start a new line
}

This loop will also work if the number of rows and columns are not the same. So you do not have to use any checks.