Help removing char from midpoint of string using deleteCharAt()

Question

How do you properly remove a char from a String at its midpoint? My attempt is on Line 80 and it does not want to work.
I am using [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/api/java/lang/StringBuffer.html|http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/api/java/lang/StringBuffer.html] as a reference for deleteCharAt()
Am I on the right track or should I try something else?
import java.io.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.util.*;
public class Palindromes extends JFrame implements ActionListener
     JPanel centerPanel = new JPanel();
     JLabel enterDataLabel = new JLabel("  Enter a word or phrase with no punctuation: ");
     JTextField enterDataField = new JTextField(15);
     JLabel displayLabel = new JLabel("");
     JLabel spacer = new JLabel("");
     JButton submitButton = new JButton("Check");
     JButton clearButton = new JButton("Clear");
     public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
          try
               UIManager.setLookAndFeel("javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel");
          catch(Exception e)
               JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,"The UIManager could not set the Look and Feel for this application.","Error",JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
          Palindromes f = new Palindromes();
           f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DO_NOTHING_ON_CLOSE);
         f.setSize(300,120);
           f.setTitle("Playing with Palindromes");
           f.setResizable(false);
           f.setVisible(true);
     public Palindromes()
          Container c = getContentPane();
          c.setLayout((new BorderLayout()));
        centerPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(6,1));
               centerPanel.add(spacer);
               centerPanel.add(enterDataLabel);
               centerPanel.add(enterDataField);
               centerPanel.add(displayLabel);
               centerPanel.add(submitButton);
               centerPanel.add(clearButton);
               submitButton.addActionListener(this);
               clearButton.addActionListener(this);
               c.add(centerPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
               addWindowListener(
                     new WindowAdapter()
                         public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e)
                                int answer = JOptionPane.showConfirmDialog(null, "Are you sure you want to exit?", "Palindromes", JOptionPane.YES_NO_OPTION);
                                 if (answer == JOptionPane.YES_OPTION)
                                      System.exit(0);
     public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
           String arg = e.getActionCommand();
          if(arg == "Check")
               String word = enterDataField.getText();
               int wordSize = word.length();
              int midpoint = wordSize/2;
               deleteCharAt(midpoint);
               StringBuffer lastHalf = new StringBuffer(word.substring(midpoint));
               StringBuffer firstHalf = new StringBuffer(word.substring(0,midpoint));
               if (lastHalf == firstHalf)
                    displayLabel.setText(word + " is a palindrome!");
               else
                    displayLabel.setText(word + " is NOT a palindrome!");                    
          if (arg == "Clear")
               enterDataField.setText("");
               displayLabel.setText("");
}

Answer 1

Looce wrote:
80 |               deleteCharAt(midpoint);
82 |               StringBuffer lastHalf = new StringBuffer(word.substring(midpoint));
83 |               StringBuffer firstHalf = new StringBuffer(word.substring(0,midpoint));line numbering courtesy of GNOME's text editor(replying to self)
deleteCharAt is an instance method of StringBuffer, so you need to have one to work with. Suggestion: drop lines 82/83 and use String result = new StringBuffer(word).deleteCharAt(midpoint).toString();