Array of string

[baird]

hello,am very new in java programming i have been given the assignment to write a program about the home affairs department, but am having a problem about how to make an array of string, below are the codes. I will be appreciative if i fully understand how arrays works.
* @(#)HomeAffairs.java
*
*
* @author
* @version 1.00 2013/6/5
*/
import java.util.Scanner;

public class HomeAffairs {

public static void main(String[] args)
{
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
//DECLARING OF THE ARRAY VARIABLES
String[]prsnlInfor={"FirstName","OtherNames","SurName","Age","Gender","BirthPlace","Country","Province","Applicant","DurationOfStay","Person",};
int[]OtherInfor={BirthDate,DateIssued,ExpiryDate,OptionCode,AmountPaid};
double[]cash={AmountPaid};

//The user will need to enter the option code number to chose which activity
//Birth certificate = Code 01, Identity card = Code 02, Passport book = Code 03
System.out.print("Please enter the activity code : \n" + "Code 01: for Birth certificate \n" + "Code 02: for Identity \n" + "Code 03: for Passport");
System.out.print("---------------------------------------------------------- \n");
System.out.print("Select one of these activity codes \n");
ActivityCode = input.nextInt();

System.out.println(",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,");

switch (optionCode){

case 01:
System.out.println("Please enter the date of birth of the applicant");
BirthDate=input.nextLine();

System.out.print("---------------------------------------------------------- \n");
System.out.println("Please enter the first name of the applicant");
FirstName=input.nextLine();

System.out.println("Please enter the other names of the applicant");
OtherNames=input.nextLine();

System.out.println("Please enter the gender of the applicant");
Gender=input.nextLine();

System.out.println("Please enter the birth place applicant");
BirthPlace=input.nextLine();

System.out.println("Please enter the country of origin applicant");
Country=input.nextLine();

System.out.println(",,,,,,,,,,,THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE INFORMATION ABOVE,,,,,,,,,,");

break;
case 02:
System.out.println("please enter the applicant name");
FirstName = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant other names");
OtherName = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant gender");
Gender = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant date of birth");
BirthDate = input.nextLine();

//The applicant of the identity card breen book must be above eighteen year of age
for (int year=0;year<18;y++);
System.out.println("year:" + year++);

if (Age < 18){
Applicant="under age";
}
else{
Applicant="Qualified";
}
System.out.println("The applicant is : " + Applicant);

//If the applicant is not a citizen of south africa then
//he or she must have stayed in the country for morethan five years
for (int year=0;year <5;year++);

System.out.println("year : " + year++);
if (DurationOfStay >= 5){
Applicant = "Qualified";
}
else {
Applicant = "Disqualified";
}
System.out.println("The applicant is : " + Applicant);

//If the applicant is not a south african but marries a citizen of south africa,
//then he or she is entitled to have an identity card
if (Person =="marries a south african"){
Applicant = "Qualified";
}
else {
Applicant ="Disqualified";
}
System.out.println("The applicant is : " + Applicant);


System.out.println("please enter the applicant place of birth");
BirthPlace = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant country of origin");
Country = input.nextLine();

System.out.println(",,,,,,,,,,,THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE INFORMATION ABOVE,,,,,,,,,,");

break;

case 03:
System.out.println("please enter the applicant name");
FirstName = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant other names");
OtherName = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant gender");
Gender = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant date of birth");
BirthDate = input.nextLine();

//The applicant must have aleast an identity card to qualify for the passport
if (Person =="holder of RSA ID"){
Applicant ="Qualified";
}
else {
Applicant = "Not qualified";
}
System.out.println("The applicant is : " + Applicant);

//If the applicant is not a citizen of south africa then
//he or she must have stayed in the country for morethan five years
for (int year=0;year <5;year++);

System.out.println("year : " + year++);
if (DurationOfStay >= 5){
Applicant = "Qualified";
}
else {
Applicant = "Disqualified";
}
System.out.println("The applicant is : " + Applicant);

//If the applicant is not a south african but marries a citizen of south africa,
//then he or she is entitled to have an identity card
if (Person =="marries a south african"){
Applicant = "Qualified";
}
else {
Applicant ="Disqualified";
}
System.out.println("The applicant is : " + Applicant);


System.out.println("please enter the applicant place of birth");
BirthPlace = input.nextLine();

System.out.println("please enter the applicant country of origin");
Country = input.nextLine();

System.out.println(",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE INFORMATION ABOVE,,,,,,,,,,");



}
}


}

[venit]

String[]prsnlInfor={"FirstName","OtherNames","SurName","Age","Gender","BirthPlace","Country","Province","Applicant","DurationOfStay","Person",}

This is making an array of String with 11 indexes or a length of 11 (with the range of 0 - 10) and you are placing each of the strings you have in between {} into them, one into each index.
i.e. the String "FirstName" is going actually being referenced at index 0 of prsnlInfor.

You can leave it like that or comment what each index is and just make a String array of length 11 with....

String[]prsnlInfor= new String[11];

Now when you want to put a String into your array you need to make sure you are telling it which array and index you are placing it into. Something like....

prsnlInfor[0] = input.nextLine();

this will get the user's next input and have it referenced from index 0 of prsnlInfor.

You were saying that your not 100% sure how arrays work. I found this picture which I think does a good job at showing what is going on. Not sure if this site allows links or not but I will try it.

http://www-acad.sheridanc.on.ca/~jol...1_arrayMem.jpg

What is actually store in grades[] is just a memory reference to where the actual information is stored.

In your case "int[]otherInfor= new int[5];" will go and reserve enough memory for 5 int, sets them to its default which if I remember correctly is 0 and sends back the starting memory location to the variable otherInfor. Now otherInfor is storing the memory location of where the 5 new integers are located and itself is not actually storing the integers.

I hope this helps. I would recommend looking up reference variables, it will help understand how arrays work.