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Java Java Objects (Retired) Creating the MVP Comparing Characters

Lee Finch
PLUS
Lee Finch
Courses Plus Student 1,411 Points
Posted by Lee Finch
Lee Finch
Courses Plus Student 1,411 Points

I dont know how to do this

Im either getting an array needed but string found error when i use the index, or i get a bad use of symbol error when i do not use index

ConferenceRegistrationAssistant.java 
public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */
    int line = 0;
    if(lastName[0] <= "M")
    {
      line = 1;
    }
    else
      line = 2;
    return line;
  }

}

2 Answers

Alistair Mackay
Alistair Mackay
7,812 Points
Alistair Mackay
Alistair Mackay
7,812 Points

You're close but as Daniel pointed out above you're not checking the first letter of lastName correctly - change your quotes to single quotes and make use of the charAt() method to get the first letter of the lastName variable.

The below code worked for me, give it a try if you're really stuck:

public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    /* If the last name is between A 
    thru M send them to line 1, otherwise 
    send them to line 2 */
    int line = 0; 
    /* if the first char of lastName Less
    than/equal too 'A' && Greater than/
    equal too 'M' return line = 1; else line 2;*/
    if (lastName.charAt(0) >= 'A' && lastName.charAt(0) <= 'M') {
      line = 1;
    } else {
      line = 2;
    }
    return line;
  }

}

I hope the above helps.

daniel104729
daniel104729
7,176 Points
daniel104729
daniel104729
7,176 Points

In Java strings are not character arrays. If you want to get a particular character from a String you call the charAt(int index) function. You see more details about Java String by looking at the docs provided by Oracle https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html. You may need to surround the M with single quotes so it will be evaluated as a char instead of a String.