Need help with code

I need help with my code. Nothing is being printed out. I know the lists work because blocked out the ifs and tried both one at a time. What im trying to do is get the if statment to work if i type in Group1 to run the first list and group2 to run the second if. Or instead of the ifs, can someone tell me how i run an argument to run the first list and a second argument to run the second list? Im still kind of confused about what an argument is. One of my friends said its like in the cmd when you type ipconfig /renew and "/renew" is argument. Im using eclipse to make my program.
Thanks

Code :

---

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.io.*;
public class Sorting {
 
	public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException{
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		String userInput;
		String command1= "Group1";
		BufferedReader dataIn = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
			userInput = dataIn.readLine();
			String menu = userInput;
		//List 1
			if ( menu == command1) {
				List input1 = new List("groupA");
				List input2 = new List("groupB");
 
				ArrayList<String> myList = input1.getList();
				ArrayList<String> myList2 = input2.getList();
 
 
				myList.removeAll(myList2);
 
				System.out.println("myList =" + myList);
				System.out.println(myList.size());
				}
		//List 2
			if ( menu == "Group2") {
				List input1 = new List("groupC.txt");
				List input2 = new List("groupD.txt");
 
				ArrayList<String> myList = input1.getList();
				ArrayList<String> myList2 = input2.getList();
 
 
				myList.removeAll(myList2);
 
				System.out.println("myList =" + myList);
				System.out.println(myList.size());
				}
	}
}

---

Hey redzero, i've been read your code and when you compare two string, you can not compare as objects. I mean, the object String is compared with the equals function. In your code you're compare memory directions. So, my hint is that you replace "==" with equals() method and try again.

Another recommendation: if the comparisons in the if statements are mutually exclusive ie only one of them can be true, then use if/else if with a trailing else clause that prints out a message saying that none of the above if statements were true and show the value of the data. This can be useful when debugging.

Thanks AndyNewman yours did the trick. and I'll keep Norms advice in mind if i run into any problems. I was told to have arguments in this program so i can run actions through a command line to choose which list i want to print out or is the ifs the arguments? Any advice.

Quote:

---

arguments in this program

---

Is that from the commandline? Then the arguments will be in the args array.

args array? I've been trying to figure out what that is. would you mind showing me an example or directing me to a correct tutorial, I've been trying to read articles on google, but don't quite understand whats happening and how to implement them in my code.

If your command line is:
java YourProgram the arguments are
then the args array passed to the main() method like this:
String[] args = {"the", "arguments", "are"};

Okay, I kinda understand what your saying. So how would I make create an argument to only output the list1/list2 of in my code? I kinda understand how to type it in a command line but not into a program. Would this be done by slitting it up by classes, then the command line runs the class?

Quote:

---

So how would I make create an argument

---

The java command creates the args array. You ask it to put values into the array by using a commandline like this:
java YOURCLASSNAME the args go here
This would put 4 Strings into the args array that is passed to the main() method.

For testing write a very small class with only a main() method that prints out the args it receives.
Then execute it with different command lines and see what you get and what prints out.

hmm okay I think I completely understand what an argument is now. So is an argument pretty much the input of what the user types in or a string array correct? Is it possible to put it in my if statement and see if its equal a string i want?

Quote:

---

is an argument pretty much the input of what the user types in

---

Yes it is what the use puts on the command line

Quote:

---

Is it possible to put it in my if statement and see if its equal a string i want?

---

Yes the String[] args variable passed to the main() method can be used anywhere in the main() method just like any argument. It can also be passed to other methods or a constructor.

People use argument and parameter interchangably.

System.out.println("hello");

The argument to the println method is the String "hello". What Norm was explaining is that when you launch a java application you can pass in values via the args array. They would be the arguments to the main method.

What you have to get clear in your head: is your assignment asking for values to be passed in via the args array or some other method. If you do use the args array then it would be a simple matter of using those values in your if statements. You can access them just like you would access values in any array, by using the correct array notation.

Cool thanks everyone for your help. I was able to finish my program, time to start my next one!!! I ran into another problem in my new program, but i wanna see if i can fix it myself. Thanks everyone.