searching char array with another char array for full word matches

[karunabdc]

Hi all,

I am very new to Java (Semester 1 of university) and I am having trouble trying to figure out an algorithm to search a char array with another char array to find word matches.

I have tried using two for-loops and finding word matches like so:

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String textToSearch = "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog quick quick";
        String searchTerm = "quick";
        int charMatches =0;
        char[] textToSearchArray = textToSearch.toLowerCase().toCharArray();
        char[] searchTermArray = searchTerm.toLowerCase().toCharArray();

        for (int i=0; i < textToSearchArray.length; i++)
        {
            for (int j=0; j < searchTermArray.length; j++)
            {
                if (textToSearchArray[i]==searchTermArray[j])
                    charMatches ++;
            }
        }

        System.out.println("The number of word matches are: "+(charMatches/searchTermArray.length));
    }

If I run this code, it returns a correct number of word matches (3)......but if I change the textToSearch string to "hello hello hello" and the searchTerm string to "hello", it tells me that there are 4 matches?

I think it is because the "l"s are counted twice and I am pretty sure this algorithm of mine is not a really good way to go about the task.


DISCLAIMER: yes, this is for a homework assignment, but I have tried Googling for a solution, reading books and working it out on paper... I really want to understand how to do this and any help would be greatly appreciated .

[Junky]

Why are you fannying about with char arrays? Just use the methods of the String class.

String words = "one two three";
String search = "two";
System.out.println(words.contains(search));
System.out.println(words.indexOf(search));

[karunabdc]

I have to use char arrays,

the assignment is split into 3 parts,
in parts one and two, I am free to use string methods, which I did,
however in part 3 I have to write an algorithm that splits the strings into char arrays and then find word matches by comparing them