Database Searching Algorithms

Question

Hi..
I have to do some research about database searching algorithms.
Would someone here help me and give a list of that algorithms and which one is the best.
What is the name of this algorithms which when u type in a key such "a" then it display a list of information that started with "a".

Answer 1

I guess I have more time than I thought... :)
Here is a full working example all in one class...
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class MAIN
     DefaultListModel model_my_list = new DefaultListModel();
    JList my_list = new JList(model_my_list);
     DefaultListModel model_list_of_finds = new DefaultListModel();
    JList list_of_finds = new JList(model_list_of_finds);
     JTextField search_box = new JTextField(20);
     JTextField add_box = new JTextField(20);
     public MAIN()
          JFrame frame = new JFrame( "Search test" );          
          frame.setSize( 500, 500 );
          Container container = frame.getContentPane();
         GridBagLayout gbl = new GridBagLayout();             
         container.setLayout(gbl);
         GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
         Action actionAdd = new AbstractAction("ADD")
             public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt)
                  model_my_list.add( model_my_list.size(), add_box.getText() );
                  add_box.setText("");
         JButton buttonAdd = new JButton(actionAdd);
         buttonAdd.setPreferredSize( new Dimension( 100, 30 ) );
         gbc.gridx = 2;
         gbc.gridy = 2;
         gbl.setConstraints(buttonAdd, gbc);
         container.add( buttonAdd );
         Action actionSearch = new AbstractAction("SEARCH")
             public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt)
                  search( search_box.getText() );
         JButton buttonSearch = new JButton(actionSearch);
         buttonSearch.setPreferredSize( new Dimension( 100, 30 ) );
         gbc.gridx = 2;
         gbc.gridy = 4;
         gbl.setConstraints(buttonSearch, gbc);
         container.add( buttonSearch );         
         JLabel add_label = new JLabel( "Add element" );
         gbc.gridx = 1;
         gbc.gridy = 1;
         gbl.setConstraints(add_label, gbc);
         container.add( add_label );
          gbc.gridx = 1;
         gbc.gridy = 2;
         gbl.setConstraints(add_box, gbc);
         container.add( add_box );
         JLabel search_label = new JLabel( "Search keyword" );
         gbc.gridx = 1;
         gbc.gridy = 3;
         gbl.setConstraints(search_label, gbc);
         container.add( search_label );
          gbc.gridx = 1;
         gbc.gridy = 4;
         gbl.setConstraints(search_box, gbc);
         container.add( search_box );
          JLabel all_label = new JLabel( "All elements" );
         gbc.gridx = 1;
         gbc.gridy = 5;
         gbl.setConstraints(all_label, gbc);
         container.add( all_label );
         JScrollPane all_scroll = new JScrollPane( my_list );
          gbc.gridx = 1;
         gbc.gridy = 6;
         gbl.setConstraints(all_scroll, gbc);
         container.add( all_scroll );
          JLabel found_label = new JLabel( "Searched elements" );
         gbc.gridx = 2;
         gbc.gridy = 5;
         gbl.setConstraints(found_label, gbc);
         container.add( found_label );
         JScrollPane found_scroll = new JScrollPane( list_of_finds );
          gbc.gridx = 2;
         gbc.gridy = 6;
         gbl.setConstraints(found_scroll, gbc);
         container.add( found_scroll );
          frame.pack();
          frame.setResizable( false );
          frame.setVisible( true );          
     public void search( String searchWord )
          model_list_of_finds.clear(); //empty
          for ( int i = 0; i < model_my_list.size(); i++ )
               String text = (String)model_my_list.get(i);
               if ( text.startsWith( searchWord ) )
                    model_list_of_finds.add( model_list_of_finds.size(), text );
                    continue;
               if ( text.endsWith( searchWord ) )
                    model_list_of_finds.add( model_list_of_finds.size(), text );
                    continue;
               String keyword[]  = text.split( searchWord );
               if (keyword.length > 1 ) //if there was a split... there was a find
                 model_list_of_finds.add( model_list_of_finds.size(), text );
                 continue;
     public static void main ( String args[] )
          new MAIN();
}