Completed Search

Here is the completed search() method.

  PhoneEntry search( String targetName )  
  {
    for ( int j=0; j < phoneBook.length; j++ )
    {
      if ( phoneBook[ j ].name.equals( targetName ) )
        return phoneBook[ j ];
    }

    return null;
  }

You may be uncomfortable with this expression:

  phoneBook[ j ].name.equals( targetName )

Look at it piece by piece:

• phoneBook[ j ] contains a reference to a PhoneEntry object.
• The PhoneEntry object contains an instance variable, name.
• name is a reference to a String object.
• A String object has an equals() method.
• The equals() method is used with the String referred to by targetName .
• The entire expression evaluates to true or false.

This is complicated. If you are still uncomfortable don't worry too much. Read through the code and the explainations,

  targetName.equals( phoneBook[ j ].name )