Arrays of Objects

• In Java, in addition to create arrays of

primitive data types (int, double,
float, char etc), we can declare arrays
of objects
• An array of primitive data is a powerful tool,
but an array of objects is even more powerful.
• The use of an array of objects allows us to
model the application more cleanly and
logically.
 Declaring an Object Array
Code A Person[ ] persons;
Only the name person is
persons = new Person[20];
declared, no array is
persons[0] = new Person( ); allocated yet.

persons

State
of
Memory
After A is executed
 Creating an Object Array
Person [ ] persons = new Person[20];
Code Person[ ] persons; Now the array for storing 20
Person objects is created,
B persons = new Person[20]; but the Person objects
themselves are not yet
persons[0] = new Person( );
created.

person
persons

0 1 2 3 4 16 17 18 19

State
of
Memory
After B is executed
 Creating an Object Array
Code Person[ ] persons;
One Person object is created
persons = new Person[20]; and the reference to this
object is placed in position 0.
C persons[0] = new Person( );

person

0 1 2 3 4 16 17 18 19

State
of Person

Memory
After C is executed
 Creating an Object Array
Code for(int i=0;i<persons.length;i++) 20 Person objects are
D persons[i] = new Person( );
created and the reference
to these objects are placed
in position 0 to 19.

person After D is executed

0 1 2 3 4 16 17 18 19

State
of
Person

Person

Person

Person
Person

Person

Person

Person

Person
Memory
 Array of Object - Sample
public class Rectangle
{
private int length,width,area;

public Rectangle (int l, int w){

length = l;
width = w;
}

public void calculateArea() {

area = length * width;
}

public int getArea() {

return area;
}

} // end class
 Array of Object- Sample
import java.util.*;
public class TestRectangle{
public static void main (String []args)
{
static Scanner console = new Scanner(System.in);
Rectangle rect[]=new Rectangle[2];
for (int j=0;j<rect.length;j++){
System.out.print("Length : ");
int length = console.nextInt();
System.out.print("Width: ");
int width = console.nextInt();
rect[j]=new Rectangle(length,width);
rect[j].calculateArea();
System.out.println("Area of Rectangle " + (j+1) + " = " +
rect[j].getArea());
System.out.println();
}
}
}//end class
 Array of Object- Sample
import java.io.*;

class Person
{
private String name;
private int age;
private char gender;

public Person(String newName, int newAge, char newGender){

name = newName;
age = newAge;
gender = newGender;
}
 Array of Object- Sample

public String getName(){

return name;
}

public int getAge()

{
return age;
}

public char getGender()

{
return gender;
}
}
 Array of Object- Sample
class PersonList{
private Person [] person;
private int counter;

public PersonList(int size){

person = new Person[size];
counter = 0;
}
public void addRecord(String name, int age, char gender) {
person[counter] = new Person(name,age,gender);
counter++;
}

public void displayRecord(){

for (int i= 0; i< counter; i++){
System.out.println("\nName ="+person[i].getName());
System.out.println("Age = "+person[i].getAge());
System.out.println("Gender = "+person[i].getGender());
}
}

} // end PersonList
 Array of Object- Sample
import java.util.*;
public class TestPerson {
public static void main(String[] arg){
Scanner read = new Scanner(System.in);
String name=null;
int age;
char gender;
System.out.println("Enter number of person: ");
int num = read.nextInt();
PersonList people = new PersonList(num);
System.out.println("\n");
for (int i= 0; i< num; i++) {
System.out.print("\nEnter name = ");
name = read.next();
System.out.print("Enter age = ");
age = read.nextInt();
System.out.print("Enter gender = ");
gender = read.nextLine().charAt(0);
people.addRecord(name,age,gender);
}
people.displayRecord();
}
} // end TestPerson
 Array of Object- Sample
Output:
Enter number of person: 2

Enter name = MuthuSamy a/l Acaphan

Enter age = 23
Enter gender = male

Enter name = Siti Sarah binti Zakaria

Enter age = 19
Enter gender = female

Name = MuthuSamy a/l Acaphan

Age = 23
Gender =m

Name = Siti Sarah binti Zakaria

Age = 19
Gender =f
Process Exit...
 Array of Object- Sample
• Find the youngest and oldest persons.
int minIdx = 0; //index to the youngest person
int maxIdx = 0; //index to the oldest person

for (int i = 1; i < person.length; i++) {

if ( person[i].getAge() < person[minIdx].getAge() ) {

minIdx = i; //found a younger person

} else if (person[i].getAge() > person[maxIdx].getAge() ) {

maxIdx = i; //found an older person

}
}

//person[minIdx] is the youngest and person[maxIdx] is the oldest

 Array of Object- Sample
Object Deletion – Approach 1

Delete Person B by setting

A int delIdx = 1; the reference in position 1 to
person[delIdx] = null; null.

person person

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3

A B C D A C D

Before A is executed After A is executed

 Array of Object- Sample
Object Deletion – Approach 2

A int delIdx = 1, last = 3; Delete Person B by setting

person[delIndex] = person[last]; the reference in position 1 to
the last person.
person[last] = null;

person person

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3

A B C D A D C

Before A is executed After A is executed

 Array of Object- Sample
• Searching for a particular person. Approach 2 Deletion is used.

int i = 0;

while ( person[i] != null && !person[i].getName().equals("Latte") ) {

i++;
}

if ( person[i] == null ) {
//not found - unsuccessful search
System.out.println("Ms. Latte was not in the array");

} else {
//found - successful search
System.out.println("Found Ms. Latte at position " + i);
}
 Array of Object- Sample
Object Deletion – Approach 1

Delete Person B by setting

A int delIdx = 1; the reference in position 1 to
person[delIdx] = null; null.

person person

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3

A B C D A C D

Before A is executed After A is executed

 Array of Object- Sample
Object Deletion – Approach 2

A int delIdx = 1, last = 3; Delete Person B by setting

person[delIndex] = person[last]; the reference in position 1 to
the last person.
person[last] = null;

person person

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3

A B C D A D C

Before A is executed After A is executed