Java getText().toString() for naming a String array

Question

I have been teaching myself Java/XML with Android Studio and would appreciate some help. I am attempting to create a shopping list app and I am having a problem with naming string arrays inside of an array. I set up an ArrayList, but I would like to populate the ArrayList with string arrays. When I attempt to add a string input (from user), I get an error message:

add (java.lang.String[]) in List cannot be applied
to (java.lang.String)

Here is my code:

public class ShoppingLists extends AppCompatActivity {

    /* Create ArrayList (from List) and Adapter for the ListView */
    List<String[]> shoppingLists = null;
    ArrayAdapter<String> adapter = null;
    ListView lv = null;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_shopping_lists);

        /* Create main array */
        shoppingLists = new ArrayList<>();

        /* Set view style with adapter */
        adapter = new ArrayAdapter(this, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, shoppingLists);
        lv = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.shoppingListView);
        lv.setAdapter(adapter);
    }

    /* Create a menu. */
    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
        inflater.inflate(R.menu.shopping_menu, menu);
        return true;
    }

    /* Create actions for menu button presses */
    @Override
    public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
        /* Determine which menu button is pressed */
        switch (item.getItemId()) {
            case R.id.action_add:
                /* Create an alert dialog for user input */
                AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
                builder.setTitle(getString(R.string.add_list));
                final EditText input= new EditText(this);
                builder.setView(input);

                /* If 'OK' is pressed, enter user input as new object into shoppingLists array */
                builder.setPositiveButton(getString(R.string.ok_button), new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                        /* Convert user input to string and add it to list */
                        shoppingLists.add(input.getText().toString());
                        /* Update adapter with new object to make visible */
                        lv.setAdapter(adapter);
                    }
                });
                builder.setNegativeButton(getString(R.string.cancel_button), new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                        /* Exit dialog box without adding new object */
                        dialog.cancel();
                    }
                });
                builder.show();
                return true;
        }
        return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
    }
}

The error is underlined here:

shoppingLists.add(input.getText().toString());

I have a feeling I am missing something simple, but I can't figure it out.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

Answer 1

There is two solutions

1- change List<String[]> shoppingLists = null; to List<String> shoppingLists = null;

2- First add your input text to a string array and then add that string array to the list as below: String[] strArray = {input.getText().toString()}; shoppingLists.add(strArray);

Answer 2

List<String[]> shoppingLists = null; it should be

List<String> shoppingLists = null;