Persistence problem (was "array problem")

[Kendra Payne]

This is probably very simple for someone with a little more knowledge than me but I am trying to get the program to save the new information that is entered into the input box. For example, if you enter a new charm, supplier, etc--having it actually add the charm to stay. when I close the program, the info entered is erased. Your help is really appreciated. I have been struggling with Java.

/*
Programmer:
 
 
 
 
*/
 
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
 
public class CHARM extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{
//construct components
JLabel sortPrompt = new JLabel("Sort by:");
JComboBox fieldCombo = new JComboBox();
JTextPane textPane = new JTextPane();
 
//initialize data in arrays
String title[] = {"Puffy Heart", "Octopus", "Goat","Cat"};
String supplier[] = {"Plum Island A", "Plum Island A", "Sunwest B", "Monster Slayer C"};
String charm[] = {"A-155", "A-558", "B-4567", "C-6247"};
String sales[] = {"15", "6", "8", "1"};
String inventory[] = {"2", "5", "11", "19"};
String totalsold[] = {"20", "12", "10", "4"};
 
//construct instance of Charm
public CHARM()
{
super("Charm Farm Manager");
}
 
//create the menu system
public JMenuBar createMenuBar()
{
//create an instance of the menu
JMenuBar mnuBar = new JMenuBar();
setJMenuBar(mnuBar);
 
//construct and populate the File menu
JMenu mnuFile = new JMenu("File", true);
mnuFile.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_F);
mnuFile.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(0);
mnuBar.add(mnuFile);
 
JMenuItem mnuFileExit = new JMenuItem("Exit");
mnuFileExit.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_X);
mnuFileExit.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(1);
mnuFile.add(mnuFileExit);
mnuFileExit.setActionCommand("Exit");
mnuFileExit.addActionListener(this);
 
//construct and pouplate the Edit menu
JMenu mnuEdit = new JMenu("Edit", true);
mnuEdit.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_E);
mnuEdit.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(0);
mnuBar.add(mnuEdit);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditInsert = new JMenuItem("Insert new Charm");
mnuEditInsert.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_I);
mnuEditInsert.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(0);
mnuEdit.add(mnuEditInsert);
mnuEditInsert.setActionCommand("Insert");
mnuEditInsert.addActionListener(this);
 
JMenu mnuEditSearch = new JMenu("Search");
mnuEditSearch.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_R);
mnuEditSearch.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEdit.add(mnuEditSearch);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditSearchByTitle = new JMenuItem("by Title");
mnuEditSearchByTitle.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_T);
mnuEditSearchByTitle.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEditSearch.add(mnuEditSearchByTitle);
mnuEditSearchByTitle.setActionCommand("title");
mnuEditSearchByTitle.addActionListener(this);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditSearchBySupplier = new JMenuItem("by Supplier");
mnuEditSearchBySupplier.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_S);
mnuEditSearchBySupplier.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEditSearch.add(mnuEditSearchBySupplier);
mnuEditSearchBySupplier.setActionCommand("supplier");
mnuEditSearchBySupplier.addActionListener(this);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditSearchByCharm = new JMenuItem("by Charm");
mnuEditSearchByCharm.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_Y);
mnuEditSearchByCharm.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEditSearch.add(mnuEditSearchByCharm);
mnuEditSearchByCharm.setActionCommand("Charm");
mnuEditSearchByCharm.addActionListener(this);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditSearchBySales = new JMenuItem("By Sales");
mnuEditSearchBySales.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_L);
mnuEditSearchBySales.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEditSearch.add(mnuEditSearchBySales);
mnuEditSearchBySales.setActionCommand("Sales");
mnuEditSearchBySales.addActionListener(this);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditSearchByInventory = new JMenuItem("By Inventory");
mnuEditSearchByInventory.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_V);
mnuEditSearchByInventory.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEditSearch.add(mnuEditSearchByInventory);
mnuEditSearchByInventory.setActionCommand("Inventory");
mnuEditSearchByInventory.addActionListener(this);
 
JMenuItem mnuEditSearchByTotalsold = new JMenuItem("By Totalsold");
mnuEditSearchByTotalsold.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_O);
mnuEditSearchByTotalsold.setDisplayedMnemonicIndex(3);
mnuEditSearch.add(mnuEditSearchByTotalsold);
mnuEditSearchByTotalsold.setActionCommand("Totalsold");
mnuEditSearchByTotalsold.addActionListener(this);
 
return mnuBar;
}
 
//create content pane
public Container createContentPane()
{
//populate the JCombobox
fieldCombo.addItem("Title");
fieldCombo.addItem("Supplier");
fieldCombo.addItem("Charm");
fieldCombo.addItem("Sales");
fieldCombo.addItem("Inventory");
fieldCombo.addItem("Totalsold");
fieldCombo.addActionListener(this);
fieldCombo.setToolTipText("click the drop down arrow to diplay sort fields.");
 
//construct and populate the north panel
JPanel northPanel = new JPanel();
northPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
northPanel.add(sortPrompt);
northPanel.add(fieldCombo);
 
//create the JTextPane and cneter panel
JPanel centerPanel = new JPanel();
setTabsAndStyles(textPane);
textPane = addTextToTextPane();
JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(textPane);
scrollPane.setVerticalScrollBarPolicy(JScrollPane.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_ALWAYS);
scrollPane.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(850, 600));
centerPanel.add(scrollPane);
 
//create Container and set attributes
Container c = getContentPane();
c.setLayout(new BorderLayout(30,30));
c.add(northPanel,BorderLayout.NORTH);
c.add(centerPanel,BorderLayout.CENTER);
 
return c;
}
 
//method to create tab stops and set font styles
protected void setTabsAndStyles(JTextPane textPane)
{
//create Tab Stops
TabStop[] tabs = new TabStop[5];
tabs[0] = new TabStop(100, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE);
tabs[1] = new TabStop(305, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE);
tabs[2] = new TabStop(445, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE);
tabs[3] = new TabStop(530, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE);
tabs[4] = new TabStop(645, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE);
TabSet tabset = new TabSet(tabs);
 
//set Tab Style
StyleContext tabStyle = StyleContext.getDefaultStyleContext();
AttributeSet aset =
tabStyle.addAttribute(SimpleAttributeSet.EMPTY, StyleConstants.TabSet, tabset);
textPane.setParagraphAttributes(aset, false);
 
//set Font Style
Style fontStyle =
StyleContext.getDefaultStyleContext().getStyle(StyleContext.DEFAULT_STYLE);
 
Style regular = textPane.addStyle("regular", fontStyle);
StyleConstants.setFontFamily(fontStyle, "SanSerif");
 
Style s = textPane.addStyle("italic", regular);
StyleConstants.setItalic(s, true);
 
s = textPane.addStyle("bold", regular);
StyleConstants.setBold(s, true);
 
s = textPane.addStyle("large", regular);
StyleConstants.setFontSize(s, 16);
}
 
//method to add new text to the JTextPane
public JTextPane addTextToTextPane()
{
Document doc = textPane.getDocument();
try
{
//clear previous text
doc.remove(0, doc.getLength());
 
//insert title
doc.insertString(0,"TITLE\tSUPPLIER\tCHARM\tSALES\tINVENTORY\tTOTALSOLD\n", textPane.getStyle("large"));
 
//insert detail
for (int j = 0; j<title.length; j++)
{
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), title[j] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), supplier[j] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("italic"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), charm[j] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("regular"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), sales[j] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), inventory[j] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), totalsold[j] + "\n", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
}
}
catch(BadLocationException ble)
{
System.err.println("Couldn't insert text.");
}
 
return textPane;
}
 
//event to process user clicks
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e )
{
String arg = e.getActionCommand();
 
//user clicks tthe sort by combo box
if (e.getSource() == fieldCombo)
{
switch(fieldCombo.getSelectedIndex())
{
case 0:
sort(title);
break;
case 1:
sort(supplier);
break;
case 2:
sort(charm);
break;
case 3:
sort(sales);
break;
case 4:
sort(inventory);
break;
case 5:
sort(inventory);
break;
}
}
 
//user clicks Exit on the File menu
if (arg == "Exit")
System.exit(0);
 
//user clicks Insert New CHARM on the Edit menu
if (arg == "Insert")
{
//accept new data
String newTitle = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null,"Please enter the new charm's title");
String newSupplier = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null,"Please enter the supplier for" + newTitle);
String newCharm = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null,"Please enter the charm# for" + newTitle);
String newSales = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null,"Please enter the new sales for" + newTitle);
String newInventory = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null,"Please enter the inventory adjustment for" + newTitle);
String newTotalsold = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null,"Please enter the adjustment for total sold" + newTitle);
 
//enlarge arrays
title = enlargeArray(title);
supplier = enlargeArray(supplier);
charm = enlargeArray(charm);
sales = enlargeArray(sales);
inventory = enlargeArray(inventory);
totalsold = enlargeArray(totalsold);
 
//add new data to arrays
title[title.length-1] = newTitle;
supplier[supplier.length-1] = newSupplier;
charm[charm.length-1] = newCharm;
sales[sales.length-1] = newSales;
inventory[inventory.length-1] = newInventory;
totalsold[totalsold.length-1] = newTotalsold;
 
//call sort method
sort(title);
fieldCombo.setSelectedIndex(0);
}
 
//user clicks title on the search submenu
if (arg == "title")
search(arg, title);
 
//user clicks supplier on the search submenu
if (arg == "supplier")
search(arg, supplier);
 
//user clicks charm on the search submenu
if (arg == "charm#")
search(arg, charm);
 
//user clicks sales on the search submenu
if (arg == "sales")
search(arg, sales);
 
//user clicks inventory on search submenu
if (arg == "inventory")
search(arg, inventory);
 
//user clicks totalsold on search submenu
if (arg == "totalsold")
search(arg, totalsold);
 
}
 
//method to enlarge an array by 1
public String[] enlargeArray(String[] currentArray)
{
String[] newArray = new String[currentArray.length + 1];
for (int i = 0; i<currentArray.length; i++)
newArray[i] = currentArray[i];
return newArray;
}
 
//method to sort arrays
public void sort(String tempArray[])
{
//loop to control number of passes
for (int pass = 1; pass < tempArray.length; pass++)
{
for (int element = 0; element < tempArray.length - 1; element++)
     if (tempArray[element].compareTo(tempArray[element + 1])>0)
     {
 swap(title, element, element + 1);
 swap(supplier, element, element + 1);
 swap(charm, element, element + 1);
 swap(sales, element, element + 1);
 swap(inventory, element, element + 1);
 swap(totalsold, element, element + 1);
 }
 }
 addTextToTextPane();
 }
 
 //method to swap two elements of an array
 public void swap(String swapArray[], int first, int second)
 {
 String hold;  //temporary holding area for swap
 hold = swapArray[first];
 swapArray[first] = swapArray[second];
 swapArray[second] = hold;
 }
 
 public void search(String searchField, String searchArray[])
 {
 try
 {
 Document doc = textPane.getDocument(); //assign text to document object
 doc.remove(0,doc.getLength()); //clear previous text
 
 //display column titles
 doc.insertString(0,"TITLE\tSUPPLIER\tCHARM\tSALES\tINVENTORY\tTOTALSOLD\n",textPane.getStyle("large"));
 
 //prompt user for search data
 String search = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, "Please enter the "+ searchField);
 boolean found = false;
 
 //search arrays
 for  (int i = 0; i<title.length; i++)
 {
 if (search.compareTo(searchArray[i])==0)
 {
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), title[i] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), supplier[i] +"\t", textPane.getStyle("italic"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), charm[i] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("regular"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), sales[i] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), inventory[i] + "\t", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), totalsold[i] + "\n", textPane.getStyle("bold"));
found = true;
}
}
if (found == false)
{
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Your search produced no results.", "No results found",JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
sort(title);
}
}
catch(BadLocationException ble)
{
System.err.println("Couldn't insert text.");
}
}
 
//main method executes at run time
public void createAndShowGUI()
{
 
JFrame.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true);
CHARM f = new CHARM();
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
f.setJMenuBar(f.createMenuBar());
f.setContentPane(f.createContentPane());
f.setSize(900,475);
f.setVisible(true);
}
}

Edit by mw: Changed subject line to be more accurate.
[ March 06, 2007: Message edited by: marc weber ]

[marc weber]

Originally posted by Kendra Payne:
...when I close the program, the info entered is erased...

It sounds like you're looking for a way to get object "persistence." Basically, you need to store the object's state information somewhere (like a hard drive), and be able to use that information to re-create the object later. You might look at Object Streams in the Java Tutorial or the Object Serialization section from Thinking in Java.

[Kendra Payne]

I am so confused as to what to do. Do you know of any examples anywhere that are similar to this?

[marc weber]

I think I would reconsider this design a little bit.

It seems that each Charm should be an object that HAS-A title, supplier, id, sales, inventory, totalSold, etc. The class you are currently calling "CHARM" is really a "Charm Manager" that should HAVE instances of Charm. More specifically, it seems like CharmManager should HAVE-A List of Charms, and you should be able to save that list so that you can open it back up later.

So first, I would write a separate Charm class, and make sure it implements the Serializable interface. (This interface is just a "tag" -- there are no methods you need to implement.)

Next, I would modify your CharmManager (currently called "CHARM") class so that it has a List of Charms. Then I would adapt the example in Thinking in Java to write 2 new methods for the CharmManager class: One method for saving the List (writing the object out as its own file), and a second method for loading the List (reading the file and re-creating the original list).

Give this a try, and see what you come up with.

[marc weber]

It might help to think of your program like this:

Charm Manager is an application, similar to a spreadsheet application like Excel.

When you launch Excel, it has no data -- you either create a new spreadsheet or open an existing spreadsheet. The same might be true with your application. When you launch Charm Manager (start your Java program), it will have no data -- you either create a new list of charms or load a previously saved list. Instead of .xls files (for Excel), your application might have .chm files (an extension I made up for Charms).

These files are saved and loaded using serialization. For example, suppose Charm is defined as a separate class that implements Serializible, and your CharmManager has a List of Charms. Then (following the Thinking in Java example) you might have something like...

class CharmManager {
  List<Charm> charmList = new ArrayList<Charm>();
  
  void saveCharmList() {
    try {
      ObjectOutputStream out = new ObjectOutputStream(
        new FileOutputStream("myCharms.chm"));
      out.writeObject(charmList);
      out.close(); 
    } catch(Exception e) {}
  }
 
  void loadCharmList() {
    //etc...

[Kendra Payne]

Thanks so much for your help. I have to turn in a final working program on Thurs(tomm) and have nowhere near the comprehension needed to develop one. (as the rest of the class doing this). So do I just put that code in my project? Does that save it somewhere? This has me frustrated to tears.

[marc weber]

Originally posted by Kendra Payne:
...So do I just put that code in my project? Does that save it somewhere? ...

That code is just some fragments to suggest an approach. It assumes that some other pieces are in place, and uses a fundamentally different approach than what you've done with arrays. So no, it wouldn't make sense to just put that code in unless you can put the other pieces together.

At this point, I think the best thing to do is turn in what you've done. It might not be complete, but it does show a lot of work that you should get some credit for. In your next project, I suggest getting some early feedback on your design ideas before doing too much coding.

[Kendra Payne]

Thanks,
this is my last Java class. I don't even know why we have to take 2 quarters of it, it is not enough to do anything with. Nobody in the class wants to be a programmer, we are business majors.