Thread: how do i add ID numbers to ArrayList entires

for my Uni assignment we have to create a library system with 3 other classes membersRecords, bookRecords and LoanedBooks i'm working on members records and have sorted the bassic array lsit formate and to enter new members and to print all members now i want to be able to add in a way to enter id numbers into an existing members entry how do i do that? i am working on the blue jay programe to make this java code
code so far :

java.util.*;

public class membersRecord
{
Private ArrayList <String> details;

public membersRecord ()
{
details =new ArrayList <String> ();
}

public void newMember (String firstname, String surname, String phoneNumber)
{
details.add(firstname);
details.add(surname);
details.add (phoneNumber);
}

public void printAllMembers ()
{
System.out.println (details);
}
}

please help

Please post your code in code tags and respect Java's naming conventions. Your code is hard to read and understand as it is currently posted.

Cramming the member details into an ArrayList continues the bad practice of storing data in parallel arrays or ArrayLists. Instead, store each member detail in its own field. If you then need to collect the member records into an ArrayList, do ArrayList<MemberRecord>.

how do i do that though i'm really knew at programing i dont even know what the java conventions are sorry

Think of an ArrayList as a growing, re-sizable list of things. They are really cool but you need to consider what the 'things' that you are storing are and how they are accessed.

You are currently storing strings. So after you call newMember once it will contain:

firstname, surname, phoneNumber

When you call it a second time it will contain:

firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber

Call it a dozen times and it will contain:

firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber, firstname, surname, phoneNumber

Doesn't make much sense huh? How do you get the phone number of a particular individual from this ArrayList? What happens when you remove at item from this list?

Instead of storing strings do as Greg suggested and store an Object that contains all of this information. Adding something new to the object like an ID becomes as simple as changing the Object.

but I don't know how to store all the details in one array but for part of the assignment we do have to search for individual names and id numbers to find individual members that's why I did it this way to make it so that search on surnames can be carried out and bring up the full set of details or that's the theory anyway I under stand the logic of what you have both said but I don't know how to do it and stick to the assignment

i cant use the array list as members instead of String blue jay wont allow it it says it can not find the class symbol that is why i did the list they way it has been done

Blue Jay is not the boss of you or Java, and you should not allow tools or your lack of ability to use the tool correctly to dictate your programming. "Cannot find symbol X" errors mean that X is unknown. To make it known, declare it, import it, include it in the same package, whatever it takes.

If you want help with an error message, post the code and the error, copied from just as it appears at your end. Please use code tags.

i dont know how to use code tags i'm a novice at java i'm really sorry i must be annoying you guys but i have used import java.* which is supost to put everything in to blue jay, i have managed now to add id numbers but it either puts the same id number on 6 lines instead of printing the entry of one member on 1 line its printing on 3 and so two members is 6 lines in the print out with the same id number or else it prints a differnt id number on each line instead of a differnt id number for each member if i can't get it sorted i'm going to fail programing i'm sorry i'm annying but blue jay is totally stressing me out thank you for helping me

Read this for info on how to use code tags and other useful newcomer info.

The import statement:

import java.*;

does not import "everything." To know exactly what the import needs to be to import a specific class, go to that class' API page. In this case, visit the ArrayList API page. Notice the line just above the big, bolded class name on that page is the hierarchy "java.util" which is then shown from java.lang.Object all the way to java.util.ArrayList just below the big, bolded class name. So, the import statement needed to use ArrayList is:

import java.util.ArrayList;

As for the other problems with your code, after you've applied the import and modified the code to use ArrayList properly (or as best you can), then come back WITH CODE and problem descriptions that you need help with. Please post the code properly which you'll know how to do after reading the first link in this post. Show sample runs, if possible.

Quit angling for the sympathy vote with your novice status and get to work. We've all been there and know what it takes to climb the ladder.