Thread: Load ArrayList from file

Hello.

I am trying to make a program which allows the user to store, manage, add, delete, etc CD Records from a Registry.
The program includes a "CD" class which contains artist name, album name, etc. An arraylist keeps all these CD records saved.

I am trying to get the program to automatically try to load a previously saved ArrayList from a file (if it exists), and then automatically save the now modified ArrayList back to the same file, once the user exits the program.

I am now doing the loading from file method, but I cannot get it to work.

	public void readFromFile(String fileName)
	{
		ArrayList<CD> reg = new ArrayList<CD>(); //Creates a new arraylist with CD records
 
		try
		{
			Scanner scan = new Scanner(new File("filename"));
			while (scan.hasNextLine()) //while file has more data..
			{
				reg.add(scan.next()); //read the next line
			}
		} 
		catch (FileNotFoundException e)
		{
			System.err.println("File could not be opened!");
			System.exit(1);
		}
		scan.close();
	}

The error I get is "The method add(CD) in the type ArrayList<CD> is not applicable for the arguments (String)".
I understand that the scan is trying to read a textfile and cannot save that line (String) as a CD object. But I have no idea how to solve this.

What should I do? The excersise advices me to use a Scanner for this part, so i'd prefer to follow that guideline. However, other suggestions (such as filestreamer) are also more than welcome as long as they help me solve this problem.

Many thanks in advance.

Regards,
dcdude.

Hello dcdude!
Can you give us more information of what does the textfile look like? If one row corresponds to one CD item and the CD's attributes (artist name, etc.) are somehow separated (ie with comma or a tab) then you can use the String's split method. Therefore you can take every separated member of the line, create a new CD of them and then store this CD in your ArrayList.
Hope it helps.

Hi,
thanks for quick reply.

I haven't created the textfile yet. The layout of the textfile doesn't matter at all, as long as the ArrayList saves the data neccessary. I have attached the CD class below, I hope it helps you understand what needs to be stored:

public class CD
{
	private String artist; // artist
	private String title; // title
 
	/** Creates a CD with the artist "artist and the title "title" */
	public CD(String artist, String title)
	{
		this.artist = artist;
		this.title = title;
	}
 
	/** Returns the name of the artist */
	public String getArtist()
	{
		return artist;
	}
 
	/** Returns the title */
	public String getTitle()
	{
		return title;
	}
 
	/** Returns a string which contains the CDs artist and title */
	public String toString()
	{
		return artist + "\t" + title;
	}
}

I will play around with your tip, and see what I can do. I have never used the string split method before...

Thanks again!

You can store in each line of the textfile the CD's artist and title separated with whatever separator you want and then use that separator in your split method. Just read the javadoc and you will find out how the method works.

Did you try the split method? As I told you in post#2, it will give you the attributes (Strings) from which you will be able to create a new CD object and store it in your ArrayList.
If you play arround with the split method you 'll get a better undestanding of what I said.