How to display JOptionPane through user input

Question

I'm currently stuck on trying to figure out why my Array values aren't diplaying in the dialog box. I am doing an assignment whose details are:

"Write a program named TallestBuildingLookupthat contains an array of 10 TallestBuildingobjects and fill in it with the data given above accordingly. Then use dialog boxes to accept a building name and display the building’s location, height, and stories. If a match is not found, display an error message that includes the invalid name and allow the user to search for a new building name."

My main issue is getting my array values to display from my toString() method, and handling the exception when I don't receive a name in the array. Specifically, getting the dialog box to loop to re-enter a name value and recheck the array. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

import javax.swing.*;

public class TallestBuildingLookup {

    static class TallestBuilding{
        private String name;
        private String city;
        private int height;
        private int stories;

        public TallestBuilding(String name, String city, int height, int stories)     {
            this.name = name;
            this.city = city;
            this.height = height;
            this.stories = stories; 
        }

        public String getName(){
            return this.name;
        }
        public String toString(){
            return  this.name + " of " + this.city + ", "+ this.stories + "stories/" + this.height + " feet high." ;    
        }
    }
    public static void main(String[] args){
        TallestBuilding[] tallestbuilding = new TallestBuilding[10];
        tallestbuilding[0] = new TallestBuilding("One World Trade Center", "New York", 1776, 104);
        tallestbuilding[1] = new TallestBuilding("Willis Tower", "Chicago", 1451, 108);
        tallestbuilding[2] = new TallestBuilding("Empire State", "New York", 1250, 102);
        tallestbuilding[3] = new TallestBuilding("Bank of America Tower", "New York", 1200, 55);
        tallestbuilding[4] = new TallestBuilding("Aon Center", "Chicago", 1136, 83 );
        tallestbuilding[5] = new TallestBuilding("John Hancock Center", "Chicago", 1127, 100);
        tallestbuilding[6] = new TallestBuilding("Wells Fargo Plaza", "Houston", 992,71 );
        tallestbuilding[7] = new TallestBuilding("Comcast Center", "Philidelphia", 974, 57 );
        tallestbuilding[8] = new TallestBuilding("Columbia Center", "Seattle", 967, 76);
        tallestbuilding[9] = new TallestBuilding("Key Tower", "Clevland", 947, 57);

        String entry = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Enter a builing name");
        String name = (String) entry;

        System.out.println(name);

        for (int i=0; i<10; i++){
            if(name == tallestbuilding[i].getName() ){
                JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, tallestbuilding[i] );
            }
            else{
                JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Sorry - no "+ name + " was found.");
            }
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

Try this:

TallestBuilding tallestBuilding = null;
for (int i=0; i<10; i++){
    if(name.equals(tallestbuilding[i].getName())){
       tallestBuilding = tallestbuilding[i];
       break;
    }
}
if(tallestBuilding == null) {
    JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Sorry - no "+ name + " was found.");
} else {
    JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, tallestBuilding);
}

1. Dont use '==' to compare Strings, because it compares a reference, not the value it self. Check Java String.equals versus ==
2. Use a MessageDialog to show the user a value, not a InputDialog
3. You should break the for loop after displaying the user
4. You should save the object found in a temp reference to display it after.