Thread: Linear Search / Index Location of Strings

I have an array and in this array it contains strings like so:

Contact[] guys = new Contact[8];
 
guys[0] = new Contact ("Rob", "Smith", "610-555-7384");

This is just an example of course. If I created a linear search how would I output the index location of this particular element (I would test for "Rob", "Smith" and output the index location)? I think the linear search below is what I would need to use but I don't know how to implement the output of the index location in the main method. Any help?

public static int linear(Contact[] list, String target) 
    {
	int index; 
	for (index=0; index < list.length; index++)
	    if ( target.equals(list[index]) ) 
               return index;
	    return -1;
    }

Originally Posted by Norm

What you show is NOT an array of Strings. Its an array of Contact class objects.


The Contact class could have a method that could take an arg(s) and say if that instance of the class matches the arg(s). Then use a loop as you have and ask each element in the array by calling the method if it matches the target.

Ya lost me...lol...so the loop method should work for my application...I don't know how I would go about implementing that.

Originally Posted by Norm

Do you know how to add a method to the Contact class? What do you want to compare or test that is in the Contact object against the value of the variable: target?
Return true if its a match and false if not.

With that method to test the contents of an instance of the Contact class to see if its contents matches the target variable, you could write a loop very similar to the one you have now that uses the new method to see if the Contact object from the list matches the value of target.

public class Searching
{
  public static Comparable linearSearch (Comparable[] list, Comparable target)
  {
      int index = 0;
      boolean found = false;
 
      while (!found && index < list.length)
      {
         if (list[index].equals(target))
            found = true;
         else
            index++;
      }
 
      if (found)
         return list[index];
      else
         return null;

I think this would work...but how can I output "Index is " the index (as an integer) in the main method?

I understand what you're saying...I used that call...I kept my loop...I know I have to change the type because String target wont work with an integer (threw an error) I don't know how I can look for this object in guys...and return the integer index. I am confused. How do you go about finding an object and returning its index