Limited word Dictionary

[Magic8ballfollower]

Here's the program instructions.
Ask the user to create a small dictionary consisting of words and their meanings - at least 5 words. Store the words and their meanings in a suitable construct. Provide the following additional functionality to the user:
a)Ask the user for a word. Search for the word in the dictionary. If the word exists, print the meaning of the word, else print the message - "The word does not exist in the dictionary!"

I have the pseudo code, but I don't know how to store the strings and recall them or how to search for matches.

Pseudo:
Prompt the user for 5 words + definitions.
Store the words and definitions.
Ask the user to enter a word.
If the word is one of the 5 previously entered words, then display that word with the definition
else, display the message "The word does not exist in the dictionary!"

I know how to ask the user to enter the words, definition, I don't know what the best way to store them would be. I can ask the user to enter a word to search for, but don't know how to search for a word through the previously entered strings.

[sehudson]

I would use a hash map to store the word and the definition.

With a hashmap, you create key value pairs, and so your key would be the word, and the value would be the definition of the word, for example:

Map m = new HashMap();
    m.put("Word","def");

So you would add a new key/value pair for each word/definition that you want to store. That would be a good starting point, then look at the methods associated with a map and think about what you can use to search the map and determine if the word the user enters is there.

[Magic8ballfollower]

So how would I do that with multiple words and definitions?
like:

Map m = new HashMap();
m.put("Word1","def1");

for the first, but for the second would I have to declare a new Map?

Map n = new HashMap();
n.put("Word2", "def2");

or how would I do this?

[sehudson]

you only need 1 map, just continue adding the key/value pairs to it.

[Magic8ballfollower]

so...
Map m = new HashMap();
m.put("Word1","def1","Word2","def2","Word3","def3" )


or what?

[sehudson]

Think about what you're trying to do.

Once you create the map,

Map m = new HashMap();

if you type "m." you are presented with a list of methods available for a Map. This can really help you understand each method, the arguments that it take, and the type of Object returned, if any.

You will notice you have a put method that accepts 2 Objects as arguments, one being the key, and the other being the value.

So that means you add 1 key/value pair at a time, i.e.

m.put("Word1","def1");
m.put("Word2,"def2");
....
....

[Magic8ballfollower]

So how would I call the strings back after the program runs?

System.out.print(Word1 + def1);

or what?