Question

Im creating a program that is supposed have the user enter a student name and see if it exist in the student array using a linear search method. The student array is in a different class and im having trouble creating a constructor i have tried many things and its not working can someone point me in the right direction.
My linear search class is

import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class LinearSearch {
public int find(Student [] a, String nm) {
for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
if (a[i].equals(nm)){
return i;
break;
}
else{
return -1;
}
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner reader = new Scanner(System.in);
LinearSearch search = new LinearSearch();
Student stu = new Student();

Student [] arr = stu.getArray();
System.out.print("Enter the name to search: ");
String name = reader.nextLine();

int n = search.find(arr, name);
if ((n >= 0) && (n < arr.length)) {
System.out.println(name + " was found at index: " + n);
} else {
System.out.println(name + " was not found");
}
}
}

My Student class is

import java.util.*;

public class Student {
public Student(){

}
public Student [] getArray(){
Student [] studentArray = new Student[3];
studentArray[0] = new Student ("Mel");
studentArray[1] = new Student ("Jared");
studentArray[2] = new Student ("Mikey");
return studentArray;
}
}

Answer 1

You defined a constructor with no argument:

public Student() {
}

But you’re invoking a constructor which needs a String as argument:

studentArray[0] = new Student("Mel");

So, your constructor should have a String as argument:

public Student(String name)

And you should probably store this name as a field in the Student class:

private String name;

public Student(String name) {
    this.name = name;
}

Note that there is no way that a Student instance could be equal to a String instance. You should provide a getter method for the name, and compare the entered String with the name of the student, instead of comparing it with the student itself.