CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaarrayssearch
StillLearningToCode
StillLearningToCode

Reputation: 2461

searching names in an array with a terminating character in java

I am trying to write a method to search an array of names; with the ability to exit the search by entering an '*' either as the first char in the entered string or by itself... the logic seems to be be escaping me. im not sure what im doing wrong. the method should return the array element number if it is found, otherwise, -1. 

public int searchNames(String [] names) throws IOException{
        Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
        String line = "";
        while (line.charAt(0) != '*'){
            System.out.print("Enter a name to be searched, and an '*' to exit: ");
            line = keyboard.nextLine();
            for (int i = 0; i<name.length; i++){
                if (names[i].compareTo(line) == 0){return i;}
            }//end for loop
        }//end while loop

        return -1;

    }//end searchNames

Upvotes: 0

Views: 90

Answers (2)

Sotirios Delimanolis
Sotirios Delimanolis

Reputation: 280000

String line = "";
while (line.charAt(0) != '*'){

will throw a java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException because there is no character at index 0.

Use 

String line = "";
while (!line.startsWith("*"))

Upvotes: 2

Mauren
Mauren

Reputation: 1975

You can also use

String line = "";
while(!line.startsWith("*"))

if you want strings starting with a "*" to cancel search.

Upvotes: 0

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