Array Length: How to set an Array's lenght, before I know how long it needs to be?

[SPACE MONKEY]

Dear All:

I use a method to compare two arrays of type String[]. Any String Value that is not on both arrays I want to be placed in a new array.

I am not using any cool methods from the API because I am learning, so compare this to a kid with a calculator v a pen and paper.
(I do use "equals" because I can not work out how not to )

So in the example I have below I have created the array because I know the answer, there should be one value.
"String[] newlyLargerPopulation = new String[1];"

ANSWER I KNOW IS OUT THERE BUT SEEMS LIKE A WASTE AND BAD CODE
1. Run the method in a dummy run mode.
2.Record how many String entries will pop up that are not on both lists.
3.Create the Array now that I know how long it needs to be.
4.Run the method again and fill the array.

QUESTION
How do I get around the need to create the array to capture the values, when I do not know how long the array will need to be to capture all the values.

OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION(OPI)
1. It may be that none of the information in either of the two arrays being compared is the same nor will the length of the arrays always be the same or similar.
2. I will ad an if statement to make the calculation work to always check the longer array against the shorter array, but this is not important here.

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.*;
 
public class ArrayQuestion
{
 
 
 
public static String[] overtakenBy(String[] previous, String[] viable)	//Method compares two arrays and returns an array of type string.
{
	String[] newlyLargerPopulation = new String[1];                     //The problem, I have to set the arrays length, but in the real world I 
	                                                                    // will not know what to set the arrays length to.
		for(int b = 0 ; b < viable.length ; b++)                         // Stepping through the Viable arrays values.
		{
			int x = 0;                                   //Counter used to trigger the placement of a String value into the "newlyLargerPopulation" array. 
			for (int i = 0 ; i < previous.length ; i++)              //Stepping through the previous arrays String Values, checking each one against 
                                                                                 // the viable arrays string value.
			{
                                if (viable[b].equals(previous[i]))                                     // Do the values in the respective arrays match?
					System.out.println(viable[b] + " equals " + previous[i]);      //Place holder to let me see what is going on, not needed by the code. 
				else
				{
					x++;                                                   //If the name did not match then "x" is increased by one, when "x" gets to the same
					System.out.println("x = " + x);                        // value as previous[].length, this triggers the addition of the String value to the 
					if ( x == previous.length)                              // array that is returned by the method.
						{	
						newlyLargerPopulation[0] = new String(viable[b]);           //value being added to the array that is returned.
 
						}
					else;                                                                                          
				}
			}
		}
	return newlyLargerPopulation;                                                                                      //returning the new array. 
}
 
 
public static void main(String[] args)
{
 
	String[] previousYear = {"Dog", "Cat", "Rabbit"};                                              //Creating the previousYear array.
 
	String[] viableSpecies = {"Dog", "Cat", "Rabbit", "Terrapin"};                               //Creating the viableSpecies array.
 
	String[] theDifference = overtakenBy(previousYear, viableSpecies);                    //Comparing the two and returning an array of type String.
 
	System.out.println("The name of the species that newly overtook our species by population is the " + theDifference[0]);   //Output for my sake to see that it worked under 
                                                                                                                                  // these controlled conditions.
}
}

[KevinWorkman]

The answer is to use an ArrayList.

You could also create a method that takes an array of length N, and an element to be added to the array, and a method that returns a new array of length N+1 that contains the element.

[SPACE MONKEY]

When you say you can use an ArrayList,

Are you saying that use an ArryaList in a method that takes an array of length N, and ......

or are you giving me two separate solutions?

Assuming you are giving me two different answers.

In the second answer that does not use ArrayList, are you saying:

String[] newArray = new String[1]

newArray = combinerMethod( newArray, additionalElementToBeAddedToArray)

Thinking about it, this I think I could do. Is this what your answer intended to convey?

Thanks.

SpaceMonkey.

[helloworld922]

I am not using any cool methods from the API because I am learning

The API is there to be used. Learn to use it, what the benefits and downsides of different parts of the Java API.

If it's for a class (or if you just want to learn how Arraylists work), they make a "modest guess" as to what size the array should be. They also use a separate variable to keep track of the number of elements (or size) of the ArrayList is. You can add elements to the ArrayList and that increases the size of the ArrayList but not necessarily the capacity of the implementing array. Whenever the capacity has been reached, create a new array with double the capacity and copy over the old array's data.

You're original approach is also a valid approach and is sometimes used. However, more often than not the ArrayList approach is used because it's simpler (it may be faster, I honestly have never tried to benchmark it).

[kenster421]

If you choose to not use an ArrayList (evne though it is the clearly better choice) because you may not be allowed to, you can always re-define your array.

//Define array and set length
String[] stringArray = new String[10];
int counter = 0;
while(someBoolean)
{
	value = SomeClass.GetNewStringValue();
	//You have to keep adding to the array while someBoolean is true
	//create a method that adds the new value to the array
	addElementToArray(value,counter++,stringArray);
 
	//re-evaluate the boolean variable
}
 
//In the definition of your function
public String addElementToArray(String value, int size, String array)
{
	if(size == array.length)
	{
		//new array twice the size of old array
		String[] tempArray = new String[array.length*2];
		for(int i=0; i<array.length; i++)
			tempArray[i] = array[i];
		//now, redfine array by assigning tempArray to it
		array = tempArray;
	}
	//now you can add the extra element
	array[size] = value;
	//it's always good to return elements when they are added
	return value;
}

[KevinWorkman]

Kenneth- Your solution is a bit of a hybrid between mine and helloworld's (better) suggestion. As it is, you're going to have a problem determining where the array indexes actually stop.

Also, please read this: http://www.javaprogrammingforums.com...n-feeding.html

[KevinWorkman]

When you say you can use an ArrayList,
Are you saying that use an ArryaList in a method that takes an array of length N, and ......
or are you giving me two separate solutions?

I'm giving you two separate suggestions. As helloworld mentioned, the API is there to be used, and a good programmer knows how to use it. If I were giving a job interview, I might ask how a person would sort an array, and maybe ask for a few lines of code to do so. The person who gives a few different examples of sorting algorithms would definitely be worth a second look, but the person whose answer is Arrays.sort() would probably be a more skilled Java programmer. Ignoring the API is a mistake.

Assuming you are giving me two different answers.
In the second answer that does not use ArrayList, are you saying:
String[] newArray = new String[1]
newArray = combinerMethod( newArray, additionalElementToBeAddedToArray)
Thinking about it, this I think I could do. Is this what your answer intended to convey?

Almost. But why would your array only have one index? And helloworld's suggestion on creating a class that contains an array and keeps track of things like how many elements are in it (which usually will be smaller than the array's actual size) is probably the way to go. You're basically re-implementing ArrayList, but if your goal is to learn, that's the way to go.