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Thread: Search Term Program Problem

  1. #1
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    Post Search Term Program Problem

    I am having a problem with the output of my term searching program. When I run the program, it seems to work okay but the problem is that when i search a term that is in the ArrayList position of 3 for example, the position outputs 0 instead. It is almost as if the position counter is not increasing inside the loop. If anyone can help me out I would appreciate it.
    package searcher;
    import java.util.*;
    import javax.swing.*;
    /**
     *
     * @author Shane
     */
    public class Searcher {
     
        /**
         * @param args the command line arguments
         */
        public static void main(String[] args) {
     
            //Get terms
            ArrayList<String> terms = getTerms();
     
            String searchTerm = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please enter a search term.");
            int position = 0;
            boolean found = false;
            while (position < terms.size() && !found){
                if (terms.contains(searchTerm)){
                    found = true;
                }else{
                    position++;
                }
            }
            if (found){
                JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "String " + searchTerm + " found at position " + position + ".");
            }else{
                JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "String " + searchTerm + " not found.");
            }
     
     
     
        }
     
        public static ArrayList<String> getTerms(){
            ArrayList<String> terms = new ArrayList();
            String words;
            do{
                words = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please enter words one at a time.\nWhen finished, leave input field blank and press enter.");
                if(!words.equalsIgnoreCase("")){
                    terms.add(words);
                }
            }while(!words.equalsIgnoreCase(""));
            return terms;
        }
    }


  2. #2
    Administrator copeg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Search Term Program Problem

    If the List contains the element you are searching for, then terms.contains will always return true. Why not use indexOf instead?

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to copeg For This Useful Post:

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Search Term Program Problem

    Thanks copeg, that's what I was missing! It runs perfectly now and outputs exactly what it's supposed to. Here is the updated code:

    package searcher;
    import java.util.*;
    import javax.swing.*;
    /**
     *
     * @author Shane
     */
    public class Searcher {
     
        /**
         * @param args the command line arguments
         */
        public static void main(String[] args) {
     
            //Get terms
            ArrayList<String> terms = getTerms();
     
            String searchTerm = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please enter a search term.");
            int position = 0;
            boolean found = false;
            while (position < terms.size() && !found){
                if (terms.contains(searchTerm)){
                    found = true;
                    position = terms.indexOf(searchTerm);
                    break;
                }else{
                    position++;
                }
            }
            if (found){
                JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "String " + searchTerm + " found at position " + position + ".");
            }else{
                JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "String " + searchTerm + " not found.");
            }
     
     
     
        }
     
        public static ArrayList<String> getTerms(){
            ArrayList<String> terms = new ArrayList();
            String words;
            do{
                words = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please enter words one at a time.\nWhen finished, leave input field blank and press enter.");
                if(!words.equalsIgnoreCase("")){
                    terms.add(words);
                }
            }while(!words.equalsIgnoreCase(""));
            return terms;
        }
    }

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