Store/print name of variable

Question

import java.util.ArrayList;
public class Lalalala {
public static void main(String [] args) {
ArrayList<String> stringers1 = new ArrayList<String>();
ArrayList<String> stringers2 = new ArrayList<String>();
ArrayList listers = new ArrayList();
stringers1.add("abc");
stringers1.add("def");
stringers2.add("ghi");
listers.add(stringers1);
listers.add(stringers2);
System.out.println(listers);
This code prints out "[[abc, def], [ghi]]" when I would like it to print out "[stringers1, stringers2]"
So my question is: Is there anyway I can store the name of a variable / ArrayList in an ArrayList?

Answer 1

Nesthead wrote:
Sorry, I know it's confusing.
So instead, am I able to access a specific String in an ArrayList of Strings in an ArrayList?
Or,
ArrayList<String> stringers = new ArrayList<String>();
stringers.add("abc");
stringers.add("def");
ArrayList<ArrayList> listers = new ArrayList<ArrayList>();
listers.add(stringers);
Is there a line of code that will allow me to access only "def"?Still sounds like you should use a Map. I'm assuming (since you've not provided details) that you have some object
class Foo {
  String name;
  int x;
  String y;
  Date z;
}and you have a List of that object, and you want to retrieve one of them based on its "name" field. If that's the case, put the objects in a map, where the key is the name field and the value is the object.
Why do you even have List<List<String>>? That sounds kind of icky. What do the String and the two Lists represent?
If for some reason you really just have List<List<String>> and that is actually valid for what you're trying to accomplish, then you'd have to iterate over the outer list, and call indexOf on the inner list. Assuming I'm guessing correctly at what you mean by "access" that String.
Also, when you post code, highlihgt it and click the CODE button so that it will be readable.
Edited by: jverd on Oct 4, 2009 9:53 AM
Edited by: jverd on Oct 4, 2009 9:54 AM