java - String starts with an empty String ("") -

my program reading text file , doing actions based on text. first line of text problematic. apparently starts "". messing startswith() checks.

to understand problem i've used code :

   system.out.println(thisline          + " -- first char : (" + thisline.charat(0)          + ") - starts ! : "          + thisline.startswith("!")); 

string thisline first line in text file.

it writes console : ! use ! add comments. lines starting ! not read. -- first char : () - starts ! : false

why happening , how fix this? want realize line starts "!" not ""

collecting mine , others' comments 1 answer posterity, string contains unprintable control characters. try

system.out.println( (int)thisline.charat(0) )

to print out numerical code or

my_string.replaceall("\\p{c}", "?");

to replace control characters '?'.

system.out.println( (int)thisline.charat(0) ) printed 65279 unicode code point zero-width space, not unprintable invisible on output. (see why  appearing in html?).

either remove whitespace character file, remove control characters string (my_string.replaceall("\\p{c}", "");) or use @arvind's answer , trim string (thisline = thisline.trim();) before reading contains no whitespace @ beginning or end of string.

edit: notepad won't show 'special' characters. if want edit file try hex editor or more advanced version of notepad such notepad++.