Java: Remove an item from existing String Array

Question

I've scoured a couple of the SOF threads but can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. Most of them provide an answer with code that's beyond the scope of what I have learned thus far.

I've tried quite a few different things and can't get this to work the way I need it to.

The program is supposed to take the given array, read it, find the given toRemove item, and re-print the array without the toRemove item.

I believe my issue is within the removeFromArray method

public static void main(String[] args) 
{

    String[] test = {"this", "is", "the", "example", "of", "the", "call"};
    String[] result = removeFromArray(test, "the");
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(result));
}

public static String[] removeFromArray(String[] arr, String toRemove)
{
    int newLength = 0;
    for(int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++)
    {    
        if(arr[i].contains(toRemove))
        {
            newLength++;
        }
    }
    String[] result = new String[arr.length-newLength];
    for(int i = 0; i < (result.length); i++)
    {
        if(arr[i].contains(toRemove))
        {

        }
        else
        {
            result[i] = arr[i];
        }
    }
    return result;
}

This is an assignment in my java class and we have not learned Lists (one of the answers I stumbled upon in my googling) yet so that is not an option for me.

As it is now, it should be outputting: [this, is, example, of, call]

Currently it is outputting: [this, is, null, example, of]

Any and all help will be much appreciated!

Answer 1

You need 2 indices in the second loop, since you are iterating over two arrays (the input array and the output array) having different lengths.

Besides, newLength is a confusing name, since it doesn't contain the new length. It contains the difference between the input array length and the output array length. You can change its value to match its name.

int newLength = arr.length;
for(int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++)
{    
    if(arr[i].contains(toRemove))
    {
        newLength--;
    }
}
String[] result = new String[newLength];
int count = 0; // count tracks the current index of the output array
for(int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) // i tracks the current index of the input array
{
    if(!arr[i].contains(toRemove)) {
        result[count] = arr[i]; 
        count++;
    }
}
return result;