Custom binary search problem

[PtblDuffy]

Hey all, been having a bit of trouble with this piece of my code for a binary search. It's part of a bigger project, but basically what it needs to do is look for a "Creature" by the creature's name.

import java.util.ArrayList;

public class BinarySearch {

    public static Creature binarySearch(ArrayList<Creature> list, String creatureName) {
        Creature retVal = null;
        int size = list.size();
        if (size > 0) {
            System.out.println(list);
            int index = list.size() / 2;
            Creature mid = (Creature) list.get(index);
            String midName = mid.name;
            System.out.print("midName: " + midName + " || mid: " + mid);
            System.out.println(" || creatureName: " + creatureName);
            ArrayList<Creature> temp = new ArrayList();

            if (midName.compareTo(creatureName) < 0) {
                for (int i = index; i < size; i++) {
                    temp.add((Creature) list.get(i));
                }
                binarySearch(temp, creatureName);
            } else if (midName.compareTo(creatureName) > 0) {
                for (int i = 0; i < index; i++) {
                    temp.add(list.get(i));
                }
                binarySearch(temp, creatureName);
            } else if (midName.equalsIgnoreCase(creatureName)) {
                System.out.println("Match Found");
                retVal = mid;
                System.out.println("retVal = " + retVal);
            }
        }
        System.out.println("retVal = " + retVal);
        return retVal;

    }
}

For a reason I can't figure out, when it reaches the "return retVal;" line, it runs through the binarySearch method again. Can anyone tell as to why this is happening? No matter what I do, the method always returns null.

Here is some example output:

[Ema, NPC, a student who always writes Java projects on time, Jeremy, NPC, a student who writes Java projects in the very last moment, Lewell, NPC, a student who doesn't even know what a Java project is, Lily, Animal, a black and white cat, Lucy, Animal, a pink pig, Martina, NPC, a student who doesn't write Java projects at all, Mary, NPC, a tall woman, Mutsu, Animal, a black-spotted pig, Peter, Animal, a brown dog, Squash, PC, one who doesn't leave the animals and NPC-s alone]
midName: Martina || mid: Martina, NPC, a student who doesn't write Java projects at all || creatureName: Lily
[Ema, NPC, a student who always writes Java projects on time, Jeremy, NPC, a student who writes Java projects in the very last moment, Lewell, NPC, a student who doesn't even know what a Java project is, Lily, Animal, a black and white cat, Lucy, Animal, a pink pig]
midName: Lewell || mid: Lewell, NPC, a student who doesn't even know what a Java project is || creatureName: Lily
[Lewell, NPC, a student who doesn't even know what a Java project is, Lily, Animal, a black and white cat, Lucy, Animal, a pink pig]
midName: Lily || mid: Lily, Animal, a black and white cat || creatureName: Lily
Match Found
retVal = Lily, Animal, a black and white cat
retVal = Lily, Animal, a black and white cat
retVal = null
retVal = null

[JosAH]

You binarySearch( ... ) method seems to return a Creature when it found it; you're also calling this method recursively but you ignore its return value; so make those recursive invocations:

return binarySearch(temp, creatureName);

... otherwise those returns of the calls will continue in your current invocation of that method.

kind regards,

Jos

[PtblDuffy]

Thanks, that did the trick!