Java Error: "Cannot find symbol" Location variable

Question

I am a noob at coding that is practicing online with this website named programmer. I am currently working on this exercise that requires me to locate the substring "rat" inside any argument string inputted by the user. I know this might be a rookie mistake, but I don't know how to fix what is wrong.

The problem:

If we invoke the method ratSmeller with the argument “baccarat”, the method should return true, if we invoke it with the argument “mat” the method must return false, and it must return true if invoked with the word “rat”. For now you can assume that “rat” will always appear in lowercase.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class Rats {
public boolean ratSmeller(String line) {

     boolean found;
     String[] strArray = new String[] {line};
        if (strArray.indexOf("rat") != -1) {
            found = true;
            }else{
            found = false;
            }
            return found;

}

public static void main(String args[]) {
    Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
    System.out.println("Enter a word and we will tell you if it contains the string 'rat' in it: ");
    String word = scanner.nextLine();
    Rats rats = new Rats();
    System.out.println("Output: ");
    System.out.println(rats.ratSmeller(word));
}
}

My only error is this:

Line 11 cannot find symbol if (strArray.indexOf("rat") != -1) { ^ symbol: method indexOf(String) location: variable strArray of type String[]

Not sure how to fix this? Please help. Thanks!

Suresh Atta · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-11 10:53:27Z

3

 if (strArray.indexOf("rat") != -1) {

That wont compile because strArray is an Array object. It doesn't have indexOf method. String class have that method.

You might want to check string have it.

 if (line.indexOf("rat") != -1) {

Apart from that you are overusing variables and the line String[] strArray = new String[] {line}; is completely redundant. I dont see any reason to delcare an array with single element.

edited Apr 11, 2016 at 10:53

answered Apr 11, 2016 at 10:50

Suresh Atta

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2 Comments

Andrew Aitken Over a year ago

This is the answer, I would add that you're using confusing naming for your variables as well. Your variable 'word' is actually a line of text.

Suresh Atta Over a year ago

@AndrewAitken Exactly and also the array is not needed here I guess. That is completely redundant.

hicham abdedaime · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-11 10:55:59Z

0

edit your function ratSmeller :

boolean found=false;

    if (line.indexOf("rat") != -1)
    {
        found = true;
    }

    return found;

answered Apr 11, 2016 at 10:55

hicham abdedaime

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Comments

Shifat · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-11 10:57:56Z

0

Array doesn't have indexOf method. Just try it,in replace of your code. Hope it will work -

public boolean ratSmeller(String line) {

 boolean found;
 List<String> strArray = new ArrayList<String>();
 strArray.add(line);
    if (strArray.indexOf("rat") != -1) {
        found = true;
        }else{
        found = false;
        }
        return found;
    }

answered Apr 11, 2016 at 10:57

Shifat

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