How to use Selection Sort in an Array of Strings

[mwn1218]

So, I have to use a selection sort to sort an array of Strings even though I know this is not the most efficent way and am getting messed up in my coding. The array is coming from a separate class called Bank Account and this is what I have so far: I know how to sort 2 integers, but am totally lost on Strings. Can anyone give me any insight/direction on where to go? Thanks in advance!!

public static void SelectionSort(BankAccount[] BankArray){
String currentName;
int currentLetterIndex;
int currentAccount;

for (int i=BankArray.length-1; i>1; i--){
//Find the maximum in the list
currentName.getName() = BankArray.EqualsIgnoreCase(currentName.getName());
currentLetterIndex = i;

for (int j=i-1; j>0; j--){
if (currentName.compareTo(BankArray[j].getName())){
currentName.getName() = BankArray[j].EqualsIgnoreCase(currentName.getName());
currentLetterIndex = j;
}//close if
}//close 2nd for

//Swap i with current letter index if necessary
if (currentLetterIndex != i){
BankArray[currentLetterIndex] = BankArray;
BankArray[j] = currentName;
}//close if
}//close 1st for
}//close SelectionSort method

 

[stefanwagner]

You may not assign something to a method:

  currentName.getName() = BankArray[i].EqualsIgnoreCase(currentName.getName());

When asking for help, you should stick to the coding-standards, and use lowercase beginning for objects, local variables and methods:

bankArray[i].equalsIgnoreCase(currentName.getName());

btw: if you use an indentation equivalent to 8 spaces, you don't need the ugly //-end-of-something - comments.

seeking a job as java-programmer in Berlin:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung

 

[quarryknight]

The Java API documentation would help you greatly with a problem such as this. You can download the API at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/download.jsp.

But for this problem, I'll save you time. The String class has two methods that can help: compareTo() and compareToIgnoreCase(). You can use one of these like so:

String str1 = "jfklds";
String str2 = "jfdlka";
int result = str1.compareTo(str2);

compareTo() and compareToIgnoreCase() return the following:
-1 if str1 < str2
1 if str1 > str2
0 if str1 = str2

I'm sure you can handle the rest from there. Good luck.

Nick Ruiz

http://www.DealMerchant.net

Webmaster, DBA