How to make reusable methods?

Question

I have a program that reads through a collection of project Ids, connects to a website, inputs the project id in one at a time. I then collect data from the website and insert it into a DB. I have code in my program that I have copied over and over again, but have modified certain variables, strings etc... to get it to work. It works great, but I want to make this code that I use over and over, into a method(s) that I can just call when ever I feel like it.
below is the posted program. Please Note that the urls that are being connected to are not real, I have taken them out so that the data on this site is protected. The createProject is the method that has all the crazy code. I am sorry for this code, I know its probably terrible, but I am a newbie. Thanks public class URLReader
    public URLReader()
       dbConn = new DBConnection();      
   public java.util.Collection getProjectIDs() throws Exception 
      // get the progrect ID's from our database
        java.util.ArrayList projectIds = new java.util.ArrayList();
        dbConn.dbConnection();
        java.sql.Statement stmt = dbConn.createStatement();
        String SQL = "SELECT distinct PROJECT_ID FROM EMSP.PROJECTS";
        java.sql.ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(SQL);
        while(rs.next())
                projectIds.add(new Integer(rs.getInt("PROJECT_ID")));
        System.out.println("Project ID " + projectIds);
        System.out.println("Project ID Length " + projectIds.size());
        dbConn.close();
       return projectIds;
   public String extractString( String text)  // I think I can already use this method over and over again
      int count = 0;
      char separator = ' ';
      // Determine the number of substrings
      int index = 0;
      do
         ++count;
         ++index;
         index = text.indexOf(separator, index);
      while (index != 1);
      //Extract the substring into an array
      String[] subStr = new String[count];
      index = 0;
      int endIndex = 0;
      for(int i = 0; i < count; i++)
         endIndex = text.indexOf(separator, index);
         if(endIndex == -1)
            subStr[i] = text.substring(index);
         else
            subStr[i] = text.substring(index,endIndex);
         index = endIndex + 1;
      return text;
   public static java.lang.String getString(String text, String target, String startTag, String endTag)
      int offset = text.indexOf(target);
          if (offset == -1) return "";
          int start = text.indexOf(startTag, offset);
          if (start == -1) return "";
          start += startTag.length();
          int end = text.indexOf(endTag, start);
          return end == -1 ? "" : text.substring(start, end);
   public Project createProject(int projectId) throws Exception
      Project proj = new Project();
      try
          /******************Project Details Page**********************/
            java.net.URL projectDetails = new
            java.net.URL("http://someSite.com/portfolio/ProjectDetails.asp?Source=Tracking&Key="+projectId);
            java.io.BufferedReader in =
                        new java.io.BufferedReader(new java.io.InputStreamReader(projectDetails.openStream()));
            String projDetailspage = new String("");
            String inputLine = "";
            while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null)
                projDetailspage = projDetailspage.concat(inputLine.trim());
            System.out.println("project ID: "+ projectId);
            //**** get the contact Details Page ID  from Project Details Page****/
            String contactDetailsId ="";                       
            String contactDetailsStr = (String)(projDetailspage.split("\\<h3\\>Project Details\\</h3\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<td valign=\"top\"\\>")[1].split("\\=\"ChangeImage\\(")[0].trim());
            // takes the string that was ripped out between the opening and closing tags
            // searches for an integer and then coverts it to a string.
            String conId = "";
            java.util.regex.Pattern conDetStr = java.util.regex.Pattern.compile("\\b(\\d+)\\b");
            java.util.regex.Matcher conDetMatch = conDetStr.matcher(contactDetailsStr);
            conDetMatch.find();
            conId = conDetMatch.group(1); // assuming it matched...
            System.out.println( "\tcontactDetails ID:"+ conDetMatch.group(1).toString());
            //**** extract the Data from Project Details Page ****//
            String projectTitle = (String)(projDetailspage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Project Title:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            String LeadPI= (String)(projDetailspage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Lead PI:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
             // This code I have copied and posted alot into different places.
            int count= 0;
            while(LeadPI.charAt(count)!=',')
                count++;
            String investigator=LeadPI.substring(0,count).trim();
            String institution=LeadPI.substring(count+2, LeadPI.length());
            institution = institution.trim();
            System.out.println("\tinvestigator: "+investigator);
            System.out.println("\tinstitution: "+institution);
            /*********************** new test stuff  *********************/
            String text = projDetailspage;
            String target = ">Researcher(s):<";
            String startTag = "<font size=\"-1\">";
            String endTag = "</table>";
            String researchers = Testing.getString(text, target, startTag, endTag);
            System.out.println("researchers before for loop: "+ researchers);
            researchers = researchers.replaceAll("\\<.*?\\>","|").replaceAll("\\|+","|").replaceAll(",.*?\\|",",");
            researchers = researchers.replaceAll("<td width=\"70%\" align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">", "" ).replaceAll("><td width=\"30%\">","" );
            String[] investigators = researchers.substring(1,researchers.length() - 1).split(",");
            System.out.println("investigator1 = "+investigators[0]);
            System.out.println("investigator2 = "+investigators[1]);
            System.out.println("investigator3 = "+investigators[2]);
            System.out.println("investigator4 = "+investigators[3]);
            for(int x = 0; x < investigators.length; x++)
               System.out.println("New researchers are now Investigators: " +investigators[x].toString()); 
            /*********************** end test stuff  *********************/
            /*************** Contact Details Page ***********************/
            contactDetailsId = conId;  // gets its url(projectId) from the previous page projectDetailsPage
            java.net.URL contactDetails = new
            java.net.URL("http://someSite.com/portfolio/ContactDetails.asp?ProjectID="+contactDetailsId);
            in = new java.io.BufferedReader(new java.io.InputStreamReader(contactDetails.openStream()));
            String conDetailsPage = new String("");
            inputLine = "";
            while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null)
                conDetailsPage = conDetailsPage.concat(inputLine.trim());
            //**** get the contact Full Details ID  ****/
            String contactFullDetailsId ="";
            String institutionId = "";
            String contactFullDetailsStr= (String)(conDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Principal Investigator\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<li\\>")[1].split("\\</a\\>")[0].trim());
            String institutionDetailsStr= (String)(conDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Principal Investigator\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\</li><ul><li\\>")[1].split("\\</a\\>")[0].trim());
            // takes the string that was ripped out between the opening and closing tags
            // searches for an integer and then coverts it to a string.
            String fullId = "";
            java.util.regex.Pattern conFullDetId = java.util.regex.Pattern.compile("\\b(\\d+)\\b");
            java.util.regex.Matcher conFullMatch = conFullDetId.matcher(contactFullDetailsStr);
            conFullMatch.find();
            fullId = conFullMatch.group(1); // assuming it matched...
            System.out.println( "\tcontactFullDetailsID: "+ conFullMatch.group(1).toString());
            String instiId = "";
            java.util.regex.Pattern instiStr = java.util.regex.Pattern.compile("\\b(\\d+)\\b");
            java.util.regex.Matcher instiMatch = instiStr.matcher(institutionDetailsStr);
            instiMatch.find();
            instiId = instiMatch.group(1); // assuming it matched...
            System.out.println( "\tinstitution ID:"+ instiMatch.group(1).toString());
            //String str = (String)(projDetailspage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Researcher(s):\\</[Bb]\\>")
            //[1].split( "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            //System.out.println("String before replace all: "+ str);
            //**** get the Institution Details ID ****/
            //String institutionsID = instiId;
            //institutionsID = (String)(projDetailspage.split("\\<h3\\>Principal Investigator\\</h3\\>")[1].split( 
            //"\\<li><a href=InstDetails.asp?InstitutionID\\=")[1].split("\\</a\\>")[0].trim());
            //System.out.println("InstitutionID: "+institutionsID);
            /************* Contact Full Details Page ********************/
            contactFullDetailsId = fullId;
            java.net.URL contactFullDetails = new
            java.net.URL("http://someSite.com/portfolio/ContactFullDetails.asp?Mode=P&ID="+contactFullDetailsId);
            in = new java.io.BufferedReader(new java.io.InputStreamReader(contactFullDetails.openStream()));
            String conFullDetailsPage = new String("");
            inputLine = "";
            while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null)
                conFullDetailsPage = conFullDetailsPage.concat(inputLine.trim());
            /**** extract the Data from Project Details Page ****/
             String investigatorTitle = (String)(conFullDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Title:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            String investigatorPhone = (String)(conFullDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Phone:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            String investigatorEmail = (String)(conFullDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>E-mail:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
           "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            String department = (String)(conFullDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Mailing Address:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
           "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            count= 0;
            while(investigatorEmail.charAt(count)!='>')
                count++;
            String investiEmail=investigatorEmail.substring(0,count).trim();
            String email=investigatorEmail.substring(count+1, investigatorEmail.length());
            email = email.replaceFirst("</a>", "");
            //getContactName - FirstName, MiddleI, LastName, Prefix.
            //getContactAddress - Street, City, State, Zip.
            /*************** Institution Details Page *******************/
            institutionId = instiId;
            java.net.URL institutionDetails = new
                           java.net.URL("http://someSite.com/portfolio/InstDetails.asp?InstitutionID="+institutionId);
            in = new java.io.BufferedReader(new java.io.InputStreamReader(institutionDetails.openStream()));
            String instDetailsPage = new String("");
            inputLine ="";
            while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null)
                instDetailsPage = instDetailsPage.concat(inputLine.trim());
            /**** extract the Data from Project Details Page ****/
            String institutionType = (String)(instDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Institution Type:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
            "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            String institutionURL = (String)(instDetailsPage.split("\\<[Bb]\\>Web Site Home Page:\\</[Bb]\\>")[1].split( 
           "\\<font size=\"-1\"\\>")[1].split("\\</font\\>")[0].trim());
            count= 0;
            while(institutionURL.charAt(count)!='>')
                count++;
            String instiURL=institutionURL.substring(0,count).trim();
            String url=institutionURL.substring(count+1, institutionURL.length());
            url = url.replaceFirst("</a>", "");
            System.out.println("\turl: "+ url);
             //"\\<li\\>")[1].split("\\</a\\>")[0].trim());
            //System.out.println("InstitutionID: "+institutionType);
            //getInstName
            //getInstType
            //getInstAddress - City, State, Zip
            //getInstURL
       /*************** Set the Project Objects ***********************/
            //**** Idaho Project Objects ****//
            proj.setProjectTitle(projectTitle);
            proj.setProjectId(projectId);
            //**** Idaho Investigator Objects ****//
            proj.setInvestigator(investigator);
            proj.setInstitution(institution);
            proj.setInstitutionType(institutionType);
            proj.setInstitutionURL(url);
            proj.setInvestigatorTitle(investigatorTitle);
            proj.setInvestigatorPhone(investigatorPhone);
            proj.setEmail(email);
            proj.setDepartment(department);
       catch( java.lang.NullPointerException npe)
          System.out.println("npe error" + npe);
      catch( java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException aio)
          System.out.println("npe error" + aio);
       return proj;
   public void persistProject(Project proj) throws Exception
       dbConn.dbConnection();
       java.sql.PreparedStatement insertProjects;
       //String insertProjectString = "INSERT into IDAHO_PROJECTS(PROJECT_ID,PROJECT_TITLE) values (?,?)";
       String insertProjectString = "INSERT into IDAHO_PROJECTS(PROJECT_ID,PROJECT_TITLE) values (?,?)";
       insertProjects = dbConn.prepareStatement(insertProjectString);
       insertProjects.setInt(1, proj.getProjectId());
       insertProjects.setString(2, proj.getProjectTitle());
       insertProjects.execute();
       java.sql.PreparedStatement insertInvestigators;
       String insertInvestigatorString = "INSERT into IDAHO_INVESTIGATORS(PROJECT_ID, INVESTIGATOR,INVESTIGATOR_TITLE,DEPARTMENT, INSTITUTION,INSTITUTION_TYPE,INSTITUTION_URL,PHONE,EMAIL) values (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)";
       insertInvestigators = dbConn.prepareStatement(insertInvestigatorString);         
       insertInvestigators.setInt(1, proj.getProjectId());
       insertInvestigators.setString(2, proj.getInvestigator());
       insertInvestigators.setString(3,proj.getInvestigatorTitle());
       //insertInvestigators.setString(3,proj.getInvestigatorType());
       insertInvestigators.setString(4, proj.getDepartment());
       insertInvestigators.setString(5, proj.getInstitution());
       insertInvestigators.setString(6, proj.getInstitutionType());
       insertInvestigators.setString(7, proj.getInstitutionURL());
       insertInvestigators.setString(8,proj.getInvestigatorPhone());
       insertInvestigators.setString(9,proj.getEmail());
       // insertInvestigators.setString(2,proj.getAddress1());
       // insertInvestigators.setString(2,proj.getAddress2());
       // insertInvestigators.setString(2,proj.getCity());
       // insertInvestigators.setString(2,proj.getState());
       // insertInvestigators.setString(2,proj.getZip());
       insertInvestigators.execute();   
       dbConn.close();
   public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception
       URLReader urlReader = new URLReader();
       java.util.Collection projectIds = urlReader.getProjectIDs();
       for(java.util.Iterator iter = projectIds.iterator();iter.hasNext();)
           Integer projectId = (Integer)iter.next();
           Project project = urlReader.createProject(projectId.intValue());
           //Contact contact = urlReader.parseConact(project.getConactId());
           urlReader.persistProject(project);                
       // do commit on idahoProjects table;
   private DBConnection dbConn = null;  

Answer 1

ok, another question associate with this program. I have it running. and it get the most of the information that I need as long as its a one to one pass. in iterating through the project Id.s and inserting them. Here is my problem though. I have two tablesPROJECTS{
     PROJECT_ID             NUMBER(20)                 PK                         Null-N
     PROJECT_TITLE       VARCHAR(500)                                          Null -Y
INVESTIGATORS{
     PROJECT_ID                   NUMBER(20)                                               Null-N
     INVESTIGATOR               VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     INVESTIGATOR_TITLE  VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     INVESTIGATOR_TYPE  VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     DEPARMENT                   VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     INSTITUTION                   VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     INVESTIGATOR_TYPE  VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     INVESTIGATOR_URL    VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     PHONE                              VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     EMAIL                                VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     ADDRESS1                      VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     ADDRESs2                      VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     CITY                                  VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     STATE                              VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
     ZIP                                     VARCHAR(200)                                          Null-Y
}So I need to make sure in the table PROJECTS, that I have one project ID, which I think I do?
But, in the second Table INVESTIGATORS, I can have many investigators associated with the same projectID. So I would like to insert into the second table, I think I can extract the data that I need for each investigator, but how do I iterate through them and put one into PROJECTS and many into INVESTIGATORS?
so it would look something like this
PROJECT_ID, INVESTIGATOR, INVESTIGATOR_TITLE, INVESTIGATOR_TYPE, etc...
54122 , Dr. Who, Professor, LEAD PI, etc..
54122, Dr. What, student, CO-PI, etc..
If this is confusing please look at the code the first post with all of the code.
orozcom