Array and methods

Question

Hi, im trying to create a Phonebook class, I have succesfully added a method that finds the name and last name of the person entered by the user, however I cant seem to get my delete method working, the way how the delete method is supposed to work is that the user enters a name and lastname and then the array containing that number deletes the entry or else it displays an error message saying it hasnt been found.
this is what I have so far
Modify the program so that it can deal with an array that has null in some cells.
Now alter the program so that the user has a choice of three actions:
1. Search for a name (as above).
2. Add a new name and phone number to the array.
3. Delete a name (and phone number) from the array.
(Simple Method:) To delete a name and number from the array,
first find its cell, then assign null to that cell.
(The PhoneEntry previously referenced by that cell will be collected by the garbage collector.)
If the name to delete is not in the array, report an error.
(Better Method:) As it now stands, the program must deal with an array that might
have null values scattered throughout its cells. This is awkward and for a large array is
inefficient. A better notion is to keep the array organized so that all the nulls are together
at the end. Now when the array is searched, the first null signals the end of useful data and the search stops.
To delete a name and number from such an array, first find the name's cell.
If the name to delete is not in the array, report an error. Now copy the reference in the
last non-null cell to the deleted name's cell. Set the last non-null cell to to null.
Now the deleted PhoneEntry is garbage, and all the array still has all the nulls at the end.
class PhoneEntry
String firstname;
String lastname;
String phone;
PhoneEntry( String ln,String fn, String p )
lastname=ln;
firstname = fn;
phone = p;
class PhoneBook
PhoneEntry[] phoneBook;
final int ARRAY_LENGTH= 10;
PhoneBook() // constructor
phoneBook = new PhoneEntry[ARRAY_LENGTH] ;
phoneBook[0] = new PhoneEntry("Smith",
"John", "[phone]");
phoneBook[1] = new PhoneEntry(
"Tony", "Gouidan", "[phone]");
phoneBook[2] = new PhoneEntry(
"Jane", "Maryl", "[phone]");
phoneBook[3] = new PhoneEntry(
"Babe","Jess", "[phone]");
phoneBook[4] = new PhoneEntry(
"Wainstain" , "Emily", "[phone]");
PhoneEntry search( String targetLName, String targetName)
boolean value= false;     
     for (int j=0; j< phoneBook.length-j-1; j++)
          String lname= phoneBook[j].lastname.toUpperCase();
               String fname= phoneBook[j].firstname.toUpperCase();
          if ( targetLName.equals(lname) && targetName.equals("") )
                    System.out.println(phoneBook[j].lastname+" "+phoneBook[j].firstname+
                    " : "+phoneBook[j].phone);
                    value=true;     
               if ( targetName.equals(fname) && targetLName.equals("") )
                    System.out.println(phoneBook[j].lastname+" "+phoneBook[j].firstname+
                    " : "+phoneBook[j].phone);
                    value= true;
          else if ( targetLName.equals(lname) && targetName.equals(fname) )
                    value= true;
                    int index=j;
                    return phoneBook[j];
if (value==false)
               System.out.println("Name not found");
return null;
PhoneEntry add(String targetLName,String targetName, String number)
     boolean value = false;
     for (int j=0; j< phoneBook.length-1; j++)
               if (phoneBook[j]==null)
                    value= true;
                    phoneBook[j] = new PhoneEntry (targetLName,targetName, number);
                    System.out.println("New number added in phoneBook ["+j+"]");
                    return phoneBook[j];
          if (value==false)
               System.out.println("No space available");
     return null;
//THIS IS WHERE IM HAVING TROUBLE, THE THING IS THAT I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO START THE METHOD, SOME ORIENTATION OR HELP WILL BE HELPFUL
PhoneBook delete()
TESTER PROGRAM
class Tester
public static void main (String[] args)
EasyReader console= new EasyReader();
PhoneBook pb = new PhoneBook();
System.out.println("1-Find phone number 2-Add entry 3-Delete entry? (type 1,2 or 3 only)");
String answer= console.readLine();
if (answer.equals("1"))
          System.out.println("Last Name? ");
          String lname= console.readLine().toUpperCase();
          System.out.println("Name? ");
          String fname= console.readLine().toUpperCase();
          PhoneEntry entry = pb.search(lname, fname);
     if ( lname.equals("QUIT") || fname.equals("QUIT") )
          System.out.println( "Good-bye." );
          if ( entry != null)
          System.out.println( entry.lastname +" "+entry.firstname +":"+ entry.phone);
else if (answer.equals("2"))
          PhoneBook new_entry = new PhoneBook();
     System.out.println("Enter last name: ");
          String lastname= console.readLine();
          System.out.println("Enter name: ");
          String name = console.readLine();
          System.out.println("Enter phone number: ");
          String number = console.readLine();
          PhoneEntry entered= new_entry.add(lastname, name, number);
     if ( entered != null)
               System.out.println( "New number added = "+entered.lastname +
               " "+entered.firstname +":"+ entered.phone);
THIS IS WHERE I WANT THE DELETE METHOD TO TAKE EFFECT
     else if (answer.equals("3"))
          PhoneBook todelete = new PhoneBook();
          System.out.println("Enter lastname to be deleted");
          String del_lastname = console.readLine();
          System.out.println("Enter name to be deleted");
          String del_name = console.readLine();
          String empty="";
          //NOT SURE HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN THOUGH
          PhoneEntry del_entry =pb.search(del_lastname, del_name);
          System.out.println(del_last.firstname+" "+del_name.lastname+" has been deleted");
help will be greatly appreciated
thank you

Answer 1

This question has little to do with algorithms (this is the algorithms forum). I suggest you post your question in the general Java programming forum:
[http://forum.java.sun.com/forum.jspa?forumID=31]
Good luck.