if statement using an array. please help! :(

[jumoo]

In this code, I want to check whether the ward name is available or not.

import java.util.*;
public class test
{
private String arrayWard [] = {"a","b","c","d","e"}; //This is my ward array

public test()
{
test(); // this is to call the method
}

public void test()
{
Scanner in = new Scanner (System.in);
System.out.println("please put a/b/c/d/e");
String wardName = in.next();
char input = wardName.charAt(0);
int x = input -97;
if (wardName == arrayWard[x])
{
System.out.println("This ward does exist");
}
else
{
System.out.println("This ward doesn't exist");
}
}
}

but whenever I put a/b/c/d/e. The result will be this ward doesn't exist. What's wrong with my code?

Thanks for any help :D

[Junky]

This is probably the most common problem that n00bs have. Do not compare objects with ==, use the equals method instead.

[Junky]

I should add that there is a small percentage of the time you do want to use == to compare objects but this is not one of them.

[jumoo]

cool! thanks thanks! I tried with equals and it works! :D

[jumoo]

but hey, when I tried to put any other alphabets, it doesn't show the
System.out.println("This ward doesn't exist");
it just automatically open my code, do you know why?

[Junky]

it just automatically open my code

I have no idea what you mean by that.

[jumoo]

oh ,it just doesn't work when I typed any other alphabets. Doesn't even show the
System.out.println("This ward doesn't exist");

[Junky]

When you get errors when you compile or run your code you should copy and paste the exact and full error message and post it here.

int x = input -97;
if (wardName == arrayWard[x])

What if user enters 'A' which has an ascii value of 65? The value of x will be -32 (65 - 97). Then you try to access the array at index -32 which obviously doesn't exist. If you want to test if a character entered by a user is in the array or not then you will need to find another solution. Hint: how would you do it with pen and paper?

[jumoo]

So, the ward name must be one of the value of arrayWard isn't it? Sorry I am still newbie. DO you put limitation on the code? by using for loop?
the error code is java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException:

[Junky]

You could use a loop to compare each value in the array against the user input. Or you could put the values in String instead of the array and use a method of the String class to see if the user input is there.

[jumoo]

I don't quite understand how you put the value in String. Can you give me an example? Thanks heaps for your help :D

[Junky]

Yes you do. You know what a String is. If not you have some serious revision to do immediately.

String values = "abcde";

Then you can use a method of the String class to see if a 't' or a 'a' or a '*' is located in the
String. Go and read what methods the String class has in the Java API and see which one will help.

Note that I am deliberately not telling you what the answer is so that you can work it out for yourself and learn.