Chapter 7: Arrays and the ArrayList Class

Starting Out with Java: From Control Structures through Objects

Fifth Edition
by Tony Gaddis

Chapter Topics
Chapter 7 discusses the following main topics:
Introduction to Arrays Processing Array Contents Passing Arrays as Arguments to Methods Some Useful Array Algorithms and Operations Returning Arrays from Methods String Arrays Arrays of Objects

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Chapter Topics
Chapter 7 discusses the following main topics:
The Sequential Search Algorithm Parallel Arrays Two-Dimensional Arrays Arrays with Three or More Dimensions The Selection Sort and the Binary Search Command-Line Arguments The ArrayList Class

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Introduction to Arrays
Primitive variables are designed to hold only one value at a time. Arrays allow us to create a collection of like values that are indexed. An array can store any type of data but only one type of data at a time. An array is a list of data elements.

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Creating Arrays
An array is an object so it needs an object reference.
// Declare a reference to an array that will hold integers.

int[] numbers;

The next step creates the array and assigns its address to the numbers variable.
// Create a new array that will hold 6 integers. numbers = new int[6]; 0
index 0

0
index 1

0
index 2

0
index 3

0
index 4

0
index 5

Array element values are initialized to 0. Array indexes always start at 0.

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Creating Arrays
It is possible to declare an array reference and create it in the same statement.
int[] numbers = new int[6];

Arrays may be of any type.

float[] temperatures = new float[100]; char[] letters = new char[41]; long[] units = new long[50]; double[] sizes = new double[1200];
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Creating Arrays
The array size must be a non-negative number. It may be a literal value, a constant, or variable.
final int ARRAY_SIZE = 6; int[] numbers = new int[ARRAY_SIZE];

Once created, an array size is fixed and cannot be changed.

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Accessing the Elements of an Array

20
numbers[0]

0
numbers[1]

0
numbers[2]

0
numbers[3]

0
numbers[4]

0
numbers[5]

An array is accessed by:

the reference name a subscript that identifies which element in the array to access.
numbers[0] = 20; //pronounced "numbers sub zero"

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Inputting and Outputting Array Elements

Array elements can be treated as any other variable. They are simply accessed by the same name and a subscript. See example: ArrayDemo1.java Array subscripts can be accessed using variables (such as for loop counters). See example: ArrayDemo2.java

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Bounds Checking
Array indexes always start at zero and continue to (array length - 1).
int values = new int[10];

This array would have indexes 0 through 9. See example: InvalidSubscript.java In for loops, it is typical to use i, j, and k as counting variables.
It might help to think of i as representing the word index.

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Off-by-One Errors
It is very easy to be off-by-one when accessing arrays. // This code has an off-by-one error. int[] numbers = new int[100]; for (int i = 1; i <= 100; i++) numbers[i] = 99; Here, the equal sign allows the loop to continue on to index 100, where 99 is the last index in the array. This code would throw an ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException.

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Array Initialization
When relatively few items need to be initialized, an initialization list can be used to initialize the array.
int[]days = {31, 28, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31};

The numbers in the list are stored in the array in order:

days[0] is assigned 31, days[1] is assigned 28, days[2] is assigned 31, days[3] is assigned 30,

etc.

See example: ArrayInitialization.java

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Alternate Array Declaration

Previously we showed arrays being declared:
int[] numbers;

However, the brackets can also go here:

int numbers[];

These are equivalent but the first style is typical.

Multiple arrays can be declared on the same line.

int[] numbers, codes, scores;

With the alternate notation each variable must have brackets.

int numbers[], codes[], scores;

The scores variable in this instance is simply an int variable.

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Processing Array Contents

Processing data in an array is the same as any other variable. grossPay = hours[3] * payRate; Pre and post increment works the same: int[] score = {7, 8, 9, 10, 11}; ++score[2]; // Pre-increment operation score[4]++; // Post-increment operation

See example: PayArray.java

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Processing Array Contents

Array elements can be used in relational operations: if(cost[20] < cost[0]) { //statements } They can be used as loop conditions: while(value[count] != 0) { //statements }
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Array Length
Arrays are objects and provide a public field named length that is a constant that can be tested.
double[] temperatures = new double[25]; The length of this array is 25.

The length of an array can be obtained via its length constant.

int size = temperatures.length; The variable size will contain 25.
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The Enhanced for Loop

Simplified array processing (read only) Always goes through all elements General format:
for(datatype elementVariable : array) statement;

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The Enhanced for Loop

Example:
int[] numbers = {3, 6, 9}; For(int val : numbers) { System.out.println("The next value is " + val); }

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Array Size
The length constant can be used in a loop to provide automatic bounding.
Index subscripts start at 0 and end at one less than the array length.
for(int i = 0; i < temperatures.length; i++) { System.out.println("Temperature " + i ": " + temperatures[i]); }

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Array Size
You can let the user specify the size of an array:
int numTests; int[] tests; Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in); System.out.print("How many tests do you have? "); numTests = keyboard.nextInt(); tests = new int[numTests];

See example: DisplayTestScores.java

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Reassigning Array References

An array reference can be assigned to another array of the same type.
// Create an array referenced by the numbers variable. int[] numbers = new int[10]; // Reassign numbers to a new array. numbers = new int[5];

If the first (10 element) array no longer has a reference to it, it will be garbage collected.

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Reassigning Array References

int[] numbers = new int[10];

The numbers variable holds the address of an int array.

Address

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Reassigning Array References

The numbers variable holds the address of an int array.

Address

This array gets marked for garbage collection

numbers = new int[5];

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Copying Arrays
This is not the way to copy an array.
int[] array1 = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 }; int[] array2 = array1; // This does not copy array1.

2 array1 holds an address to the array array2 holds an address to the array

8 10

Address

Example: SameArray.java

Address

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Copying Arrays
You cannot copy an array by merely assigning one reference variable to another. You need to copy the individual elements of one array to another.
int[] firstArray = {5, 10, 15, 20, 25 }; int[] secondArray = new int[5]; for (int i = 0; i < firstArray.length; i++) secondArray[i] = firstArray[i];

This code copies each element of firstArray to the corresponding element of secondArray.

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Passing Array Elements to a Method

When a single element of an array is passed to a method it is handled like any other variable. See example: PassElements.java More often you will want to write methods to process array data by passing the entire array, not just one element at a time.

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Passing Arrays as Arguments

Arrays are objects. Their references can be passed to methods like any other object reference variable.
showArray(numbers);

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Address

Example: PassArray.java

public static void showArray(int[] array) { for (int i = 0; i < array.length; i++) System.out.print(array[i] + " "); }
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Comparing Arrays
The == operator determines only whether array references point to the same array object.
int[] firstArray = { 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 }; int[] secondArray = { 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 }; if (firstArray == secondArray) // This is a mistake. System.out.println("The arrays are the same."); else System.out.println("The arrays are not the same.");

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Comparing Arrays: Example

int[] firstArray = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 }; int[] secondArray = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 }; boolean arraysEqual = true; int i = 0; // First determine whether the arrays are the same size. if (firstArray.length != secondArray.length) arraysEqual = false;

// Next determine whether the elements contain the same data.

while (arraysEqual && i < firstArray.length) { if (firstArray[i] != secondArray[i]) arraysEqual = false; i++; } if (arraysEqual) System.out.println("The arrays are equal."); else System.out.println("The arrays are not equal.");
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Useful Array Operations

Finding the Highest Value
int [] numbers = new int[50]; int highest = numbers[0]; for (int i = 1; i < numbers.length; i++) { if (numbers[i] > highest) highest = numbers[i]; }

Finding the Lowest Value

int lowest = numbers[0]; for (int i = 1; i < numbers.length; i++) { if (numbers[i] < lowest) lowest = numbers[i]; }

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Useful Array Operations

Summing Array Elements:
int total = 0; // Initialize accumulator for (int i = 0; i < units.length; i++) total += units[i];

Averaging Array Elements:

double total = 0; // Initialize accumulator double average; // Will hold the average for (int i = 0; i < scores.length; i++) total += scores[i]; average = total / scores.length;

Example: SalesData.java, Sales.java

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Partially Filled Arrays

Typically, if the amount of data that an array must hold is unknown: size the array to the largest expected number of elements. use a counting variable to keep track of how much valid data is in the array.
int[] array = new int[100]; int count = 0; System.out.print("Enter a number or -1 to quit: "); number = keyboard.nextInt(); while (number != -1 && count <= 99) { array[count] = number; count++; System.out.print("Enter a number or -1 to quit: "); number = keyboard.nextInt(); input, number and keyboard were } previously declared and keyboard
references a Scanner object

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Arrays and Files

Saving the contents of an array to a file:
int[] numbers = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50}; PrintWriter outputFile = new PrintWriter ("Values.txt"); for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) outputFile.println(numbers[i]); outputFile.close();

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Arrays and Files

Reading the contents of a file into an array:
final int SIZE = 5; // Assuming we know the size. int[] numbers = new int[SIZE]; int i = 0; File file = new File ("Values.txt"); Scanner inputFile = new Scanner(file); while (inputFile.hasNext() && i < numbers.length) { numbers[i] = inputFile.nextInt(); i++; } inputFile.close();

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Returning an Array Reference

A method can return a reference to an array. The return type of the method must be declared as an array of the right type.
public static double[] getArray() { double[] array = { 1.2, 2.3, 4.5, 6.7, 8.9 }; return array; }

The getArray method is a public static method that returns an array of doubles. See example: ReturnArray.java
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String Arrays
Arrays are not limited to primitive data. An array of String objects can be created:
String[] names = { "Bill", "Susan", "Steven", "Jean" };

The names variable holds the address to the array.

Address names[0]

A String array is an array of references to String objects.

address

Bill

names[1]
names[2] names[3]

address
address address

Susan
Steven Jean

Example: MonthDays.java

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String Arrays
If an initialization list is not provided, the new keyword must be used to create the array:
String[] names = new String[4];
The names variable holds the address to the array. Address names[0] names[1] names[2] names[3] null null null null

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String Arrays
When an array is created in this manner, each element of the array must be initialized.
The names variable holds the address to the array. Address names[0] names[1] names[2] names[3] null null null null Bill Susan Steven Jean names[0] names[1] names[2] names[3] = = = = "Bill"; "Susan"; "Steven"; "Jean";

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Calling String Methods On Array Elements

String objects have several methods, including:
toUpperCase compareTo equals charAt

Each element of a String array is a String object. Methods can be used by using the array name and index as before.
System.out.println(names[0].toUpperCase()); char letter = names[3].charAt(0);

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The length Field & The length Method

Arrays have a final field named length. String objects have a method named length. To display the length of each string held in a String array:
for (int i = 0; i < names.length; i++) System.out.println(names[i].length());

An arrays length is a field

You do not write a set of parentheses after its name.

A Strings length is a method

You do write the parentheses after the name of the String classs length method.

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Arrays of Objects
Because Strings are objects, we know that arrays can contain objects.
BankAccount[] accounts = new BankAccount[5];
The accounts variable holds the address of an BankAccount array. Address accounts[0] accounts[1] accounts[2] accounts[3] accounts[4] null null null null null
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The array is an array of references to BankAccount objects.

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Arrays of Objects
Each element needs to be initialized.
for (int i = 0; i < accounts.length; i++) accounts[i] = new BankAccount();

See example: ObjectArray.java

The accounts variable holds the address of an BankAccount array. Address accounts[0] Address accounts[1] Address accounts[2] Address accounts[3] Address accounts[4] Address
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balance: balance: balance:

0.0

0.0

0.0

balance:
balance:

0.0

0.0

The Sequential Search Algorithm

A search algorithm is a method of locating a specific item in a larger collection of data. The sequential search algorithm uses a loop to:
sequentially step through an array, compare each element with the search value, and stop when
the value is found or the end of the array is encountered.

See example: SearchArray.java

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Two-Dimensional Arrays
A two-dimensional array is an array of arrays. It can be thought of as having rows and columns.

column 0
row 0 row 1 row 2 row 3

column 1

column 2

column 3

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Two-Dimensional Arrays
Declaring a two-dimensional array requires two sets of brackets and two size declarators
The first one is for the number of rows The second one is for the number of columns.
double[][] scores = new double[3][4];

two dimensional array

rows

columns

The two sets of brackets in the data type indicate that the scores variable will reference a two-dimensional array. Notice that each size declarator is enclosed in its own set of brackets.
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Accessing Two-Dimensional Array Elements

When processing the data in a two-dimensional array, each element has two subscripts:
one for its row and another for its column.

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Accessing Two-Dimensional Array Elements

The scores variable holds the address of a 2D array of doubles.

Address
row 0 row 1 row 2

column 0

column 1

column 2

column 3

scores[0][0] scores[0][1] scores[0][2] scores[0][3] scores[1][0] scores[1][1] scores[1][2] scores[1][3] scores[2][0] scores[2][1] scores[2][2] scores[2][3]

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Accessing Two-Dimensional Array Elements

Accessing one of the elements in a twodimensional array requires the use of both subscripts.
scores[2][1] = 95;

The scores variable holds the address of a 2D array of doubles.

Address
row 0 row 1 row 2

column 0

column 1

column 2

column 3

0 0 0

0 0 95

0 0 0

0 0 0

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Accessing Two-Dimensional Array Elements

Programs that process two-dimensional arrays can do so with nested loops. To fill the scores array: Number of rows, not the
largest subscript

for (int row = 0; row < 3; row++) Number of { columns, not the for (int col = 0; col < 4; col++) largest subscript { System.out.print("Enter a score: "); scores[row][col] = keyboard.nextDouble(); } keyboard references a }
Scanner object
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Accessing Two-Dimensional Array Elements

To print out the scores array:
for (int row = 0; row < 3; row++) { for (int col = 0; col < 4; col++) { System.out.println(scores[row][col]); } }

See example: CorpSales.java

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Initializing a Two-Dimensional Array

Initializing a two-dimensional array requires enclosing each rows initialization list in its own set of braces.
int[][] numbers = { {1, 2, 3}, {4, 5, 6}, {7, 8, 9} };

Java automatically creates the array and fills its elements with the initialization values.
row 0 {1, 2, 3} row 1 {4, 5, 6} row 2 {7, 8, 9}

Declares an array with three rows and three columns.

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Initializing a Two-Dimensional Array

int[][] numbers = {{1, 2, 3}, {4, 5, 6}, {7, 8, 9}};

The numbers variable holds the address of a 2D array of int values.

produces:
column 0 column 1 column 2

Address
row 0 row 1 row 2

1 4 7

2 5 8

3 6 9

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The length Field

Two-dimensional arrays are arrays of one-dimensional arrays. The length field of the array gives the number of rows in the array. Each row has a length constant tells how many columns is in that row. Each row can have a different number of columns.

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The length Field

To access the length fields of the array:
int[][] numbers = { { 1, 2, 3, 4 }, { 5, 6, 7 }, { 9, 10, 11, 12 } }; for (int row = 0; row < numbers.length; row++) { for (int col = 0; col < numbers[row].length; col++) System.out.println(numbers[row][col]); }

See example: Lengths.java The array can have variable length rows.
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Number of rows

Number of columns in this row.

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Summing The Elements of a TwoDimensional Array

int[][] numbers = { { 1, 2, 3, 4 }, {5, 6, 7, 8}, {9, 10, 11, 12} }; int total; total = 0; for (int row = 0; row < numbers.length; row++) { for (int col = 0; col < numbers[row].length; col++) total += numbers[row][col]; } System.out.println("The total is " + total);

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Summing The Rows of a TwoDimensional Array

int[][] numbers = {{ 1, 2, 3, 4}, {5, 6, 7, 8}, {9, 10, 11, 12}}; int total; for (int row = 0; row < numbers.length; row++) { total = 0; for (int col = 0; col < numbers[row].length; col++) total += numbers[row][col]; System.out.println("Total of row " + row + " is " + total); }
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Summing The Columns of a TwoDimensional Array

int[][] numbers = {{1, 2, 3, 4}, {5, 6, 7, 8}, {9, 10, 11, 12}}; int total; for (int col = 0; col < numbers[0].length; col++) { total = 0; for (int row = 0; row < numbers.length; row++) total += numbers[row][col]; System.out.println("Total of column " + col + " is " + total); }
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Passing and Returning TwoDimensional Array References

There is no difference between passing a single or two-dimensional array as an argument to a method. The method must accept a two-dimensional array as a parameter. See example: Pass2Darray.java

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Ragged Arrays
When the rows of a two-dimensional array are of different lengths, the array is known as a ragged array. You can create a ragged array by creating a twodimensional array with a specific number of rows, but no columns.
int [][] ragged = new int [4][];

Then create the individual rows.

ragged[0] ragged[1] ragged[2] ragged[3] = = = = new new new new int int int int [3]; [4]; [5]; [6];

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More Than Two Dimensions

Java does not limit the number of dimensions that an array may be. More than three dimensions is hard to visualize, but can be useful in some programming problems.

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Selection Sort
In a selection sort:
The smallest value in the array is located and moved to element 0. Then the next smallest value is located and moved to element 1. This process continues until all of the elements have been placed in their proper order. See example: SelectionSortDemo.java

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Binary Search
A binary search:
requires an array sorted in ascending order. starts with the element in the middle of the array. If that element is the desired value, the search is over. Otherwise, the value in the middle element is either greater or less than the desired value If it is greater than the desired value, search in the first half of the array. Otherwise, search the last half of the array. Repeat as needed while adjusting start and end points of the search.

See example: BinarySearchDemo.java

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Command-Line Arguments
A Java program can receive arguments from the operating system command-line. The main method has a header that looks like this: public static void main(String[] args) The main method receives a String array as a parameter. The array that is passed into the args parameter comes from the operating system command-line.

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Command-Line Arguments
To run the example:
java CommandLine How does this work?
args[0] args[0] args[0] args[0] is is is is assigned assigned assigned assigned "How" "does" "this" "work?"

Example: CommandLine.java It is not required that the name of mains parameter array be args.
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Variable-Length Argument Lists

Special type parameter vararg
Vararg parameters are actually arrays Examples: VarArgsDemo1.java, VarargsDemo2.java
public static int sum(int... numbers) { int total = 0; // Accumulator // Add all the values in the numbers array. for (int val : numbers) total += val; // Return the total. return total; }

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The ArrayList Class

Similar to an array, an ArrayList allows object storage Unlike an array, an ArrayList object:
Automatically expands when a new item is added Automatically shrinks when items are removed

Requires: import java.util.ArrayList;

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Creating an ArrayList
ArrayList<String> nameList = new ArrayList<String>();

Notice the word String written inside angled brackets <> This specifies that the ArrayList can hold String objects.

If we try to store any other type of object in this ArrayList, an error will occur.

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Using an ArrayList
To populate the ArrayList, use the add method:
nameList.add("James"); nameList.add("Catherine");

To get the current size, call the size method

nameList.size(); // returns 2

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Using an ArrayList
To access items in an ArrayList, use the get method
nameList.get(1); In this statement 1 is the index of the item to get.

Example: ArrayListDemo1.java

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Using an ArrayList
The ArrayList class's toString method returns a string
representing all items in the ArrayList
System.out.println(nameList);

This statement yields : [ James, Catherine ]

The ArrayList class's remove method removes designated item from the ArrayList
nameList.remove(1); This statement removes the second item.

See example: ArrayListDemo3.java

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Using an ArrayList
The ArrayList class's add method with one argument adds new items to the end of the ArrayList To insert items at a location of choice, use the add method with two arguments:
nameList.add(1, "Mary"); This statement inserts the String "Mary" at index 1

To replace an existing item, use the set method:

nameList.set(1, "Becky"); This statement replaces Mary with Becky

See example: ArrayListDemo5.java

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Using an ArrayList
An ArrayList has a capacity, which is the number of items it can hold without increasing its size. The default capacity of an ArrayList is 10 items. To designate a different capacity, use a parameterized constructor:
ArrayList<String> list = new ArrayList<String>(100);

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Using an ArrayList
You can store any type of object in an ArrayList
ArrayList<BankAccount> accountList = new ArrayList<BankAccount>();

This creates an ArrayList that can hold BankAccount objects.

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Using an ArrayList
// Create an ArrayList to hold BankAccount objects. ArrayList<BankAccount> list = new ArrayList<BankAccount>(); // Add three list.add(new list.add(new list.add(new BankAccount objects to the ArrayList. BankAccount(100.0)); BankAccount(500.0)); BankAccount(1500.0));

// Display each item. for (int index = 0; index < list.size(); index++) { BankAccount account = list.get(index); System.out.println("Account at index " + index + "\nBalance: " + account.getBalance()); }

See: ArrayListDemo6.java
2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ. All Rights Reserved. 7-74

Using an ArrayList
The diamond operator
Beginning in Java 7, you can use the <> operator for simpler ArrayList declarations:
No need to specify the data type here.
ArrayList<String> list = new ArrayList<>();

Java infers the type of the ArrayList object from the variable declaration.
2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ. All Rights Reserved.