How can i ask the user only once using Vectors?

Question

What i am trying to do is get an index of a vector.
I know that i have to use the elementAt(int), but what i want to do is
make it so only one screen pops up instead of all 4 of them.
I just want to ask his custID and from there look up the users information from the Vector. I cant get rid of the variables in the public Employee (see Employee Class) or else i will not be able to get the other information (delete a JOptionPane and you will see what i am talking about). Dont worry about the int int the elementAt part. I figured that out already.
public class Employee {
// class constants
// Data fields
private String custName;
private String custAddress;
private double rate;
private int custID;
private double steve;
public Employee(int id, String name, String adress, double ra) {
custName = name;
custAddress = adress;
rate = ra;
custID = id;
public String toString() {
return "Customer ID: "+ custID + "Customer Name : " + custName +
"Customer Adrress" + custAddress + "rate: $" + rate ;
public int getBalls(){
return custID;
public String getBallsy(){
return custAddress;
public double getRate(){
return rate;
the other one...
package bars;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.util.*;
public class EmployeeApp {
//methods
private static int readInt (String prompt){
String numStr = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(prompt);
return Integer.parseInt(numStr);
private static double readDouble (String prompt){
String numStr = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(prompt);
return Double.parseDouble(numStr);
public static void main (String[] args){
//read and store the payroll data in an employee object
Vector programmers = new Vector();
for (int i = 0; i < 1; i++) {
Employee programmer =
new Employee(
readInt("Enter Customer ID: "),
JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Name: " ),
JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Address: "),
readDouble ("Enter hourly rate: ")
int steve = programmer.getBalls();
int bob = steve;
programmers.add(programmer);
System.out.println("here: " + steve);
System.out.println(programmers.toString());

Answer 1

A vector probably isn't your best bet. Try a Map, a TreeMap if you want them in order, otherwise a HashMap. Use new Integer(customerId).
Map custMap = new HashMap(20);
custId = readInt("Enter customer ID");
custIdI = new Integet(custId);
Employee emp;
if(custMap.contains(custIdI)) {
    emp = (Employess)custMap.get(custIdI);
    ... old employess
   } else {
    emp = new Employee(....);
    custMap.put(custIdI, emp);
   }If you use a vector you'll have to search it with a look of your own for a matching id.