Error when I add a Person to an array

This is doing what this code said to do:
for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            System.out.println(people[indexPeople]);
        }

When you print an object, you get toString() representation of the object which by default is the Person@4a65e0 you are seeing.  If you intended this to be same as this:

public void print()
    {
       System.out.println("name=" + firstName + "\t" + "yearBorn=" + yearBorn + "\t" + "phone=" + phone);
    }

Then you have two options.  The first want without changing your Person code is to do this:

for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            if (people[indexPeople] != null) { people[indexPeople].print(); }
        }

The alternative is to change the void print function in Person class to be an override of the toString() function.

public String toString()
    {
      return "name=" + firstName + "\t" + "yearBorn=" + yearBorn + "\t" + "phone=" + phone;
    }

The print code in your AddressBook class should now work as coded.

For the root of issue why you could not add to your array, is that you have to do what you did which is to check for null object in the array and create new Person on that index.  This is inefficient for what you are doing given you may want an address book with 11 people.

If your specifications allow it, try using a List<Person> object instead.

So:
List<Person> people = new ArrayList<Person>();

Then you can add people like this:
people.add(newPerson);
people.remove(index);

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/java/util/List.html

The remove will take a little bit of code adjustment, but to stay with what you are comfortable, you could search for the index of the Person object that matches the firstname and then use the people.remove with that index.

As you get more comfortable you may find easier ways to do this using the API.

I'm not allowed to use List's. I'm supposed to use arrays only, so I tried the first option you said:

for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            if (people[indexPeople] != null) { people[indexPeople].print(); }
        }
By doing that it compiled fine, but it when I add a person I get an error message:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
        at AddressBook.addPerson(AddressBook.java:40)
        at AddressBook.main(AddressBook.java:130)

Its not letting me add a person at all when I run the program. I have to keep the methods the way they are including the "void print" in class Person. Do you think it's because of the size of the array.. that's the only thing I can think of?

/**HERE'S THE FIRST CLASS**/
 
public class Person
{
    private String firstName;
    private int yearBorn;
    private String phone;
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Construct the strings and integer variables.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * We have an object of class Person.
     * </pre>
     * 
     */   
    public Person()
    {
        firstName = "";
        yearBorn = 0;
        phone = "";
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Construct string and integer variables with specified firstName, yearBorn, and phone.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * Have an objects of class Person that has specified values.
     * </pre>
     */
    public Person(String firstNameX, int yearBornX, String phoneX)
    {
        firstName = firstNameX;
        yearBorn = yearBornX;
        phone = phoneX;
    }
    
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Set firstName.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * Have format firstNameX with specified firstName.
     * </pre>
     */
    public void setFirstName(String firstNameX)
    {
        firstName = firstNameX;
    }
   
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Return firstName.
     * Pre:
     * none
     * Post:
     * Return firstName.
     * </pre>
     */
    public String getFirstName()
    {
        return (firstName);
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Set yearBorn.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * Have format yearBornX with specified yearBorn.
     * </pre>
     */
    public void setYearBorn(int yearBornX)
    {
        yearBorn = yearBornX;
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Return yearBorn.
     * Pre:
     * none
     * Post:
     * Return yearBorn.
     * </pre>
     */
    public int getYearBorn()
    {
        return (yearBorn);
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Set phone.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * Have format phoneX with specified phone.
     * </pre>
     */
    public void setPhone(String phoneX)
    {
        phone = phoneX;
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Return phone.
     * Pre:
     * none
     * Post:
     * Return phone.
     * </pre>
     */
    public String getPhone()
    {
        return (phone);
    }
 
	/**
	 * <pre>
	 * Description: 
	 * prints the name, year born, and phone number.
	 * Pre:
	 * None.
	 * Post:
	 * Line with specified information will be printed.
	 * </pre>
	 *
	 */
    public void print()
    {
       System.out.println("name=" + firstName + "\t" + "yearBorn=" + yearBorn + "\t" + "phone=" + phone);
    }
}
 
 
 
/**HERES THE SECOND CODE **/
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*; /** Scanner **/
import java.util.regex.*; /** Pattern **/
public class AddressBook
{
    Person[] people; // = new Person[10];
 
 
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Add a new person to the people array.
     * Pre:
     * We have a class operand newPerson.
     * Post:
     * The people array will have a new person added to it.
     * </pre>
     * 
     */
    public void addPerson(Person newPerson)
    {
	    //newPerson = people[10];
	    
        for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length-1; indexPeople++)
        {
            if(people[indexPeople] == null) 
            {
                people[indexPeople] = newPerson;
            }
        }
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Delete a person from the people array.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * The people array will have a person deleted and have an open space in it.
     * </pre>
     *
     */
    public void removePerson(String firstName)
    {
        for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            String[] newPeople = new String[people.length];
            if(newPeople[indexPeople] == firstName)
            {
                people[indexPeople] = people[indexPeople + 1];
            }
        }
    }
 
    /**
     * <pre>
     * Description: 
     * Print the format numerator and donominator.
     * Pre:
     * None.
     * Post:
     * Print.
     * </pre>
    *
	 */
    public void print()
    {
        for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            if(people[indexPeople] != null)
            {
                people[indexPeople].print();
            }
        }
    }
    
   
    
    /**
	 * <pre>
	 * Description: 
	 * Test the program by performing few operations
	 * Pre:
	 * none
	 * Post:
	 * none
	 * </pre>
	 * 
	 */
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        AddressBook book = new AddressBook();
        
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
 
	String op1 = "";
        while(op1.equalsIgnoreCase(op1))
        {
            System.out.println("Do you want to do add or delete or print or quit");
	    op1 = new String(scanner.next());
            
            if(op1.equals("quit"))
            {
                return;
            }
            if(op1.equals("add"))
            {
                System.out.println("please type name, yearBorn, phone");
                String input1 = scanner.next();
                int input2 = scanner.nextInt();
                String input3 = scanner.next();
 
                book.addPerson(new Person(input1, input2, input3));
            }
            if(op1.equals("delete"))
            {
                System.out.println("please type name of person to be deleted");
	        String firstName = scanner.next();
                book.removePerson(firstName);
            }
            if(op1.equals("print"))
            {
                book.print();	
        }
 
        }
 
    }
}

Select allOpen in new window

A couple of things.

I just noticed that in the add person, you are doing this in loop -
 for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length-1; indexPeople++)

This will leave off the last index.  You need either < people.length OR <= people.length-1.

The size of the array only allows you to add 10 people maximum.  So if you are trying to add beyond that you cannot without having to add code that essentially creates a new array at a bigger size and copies the original objects form old array into the new one.  

With that said, currently on the first add you fill your entire 10 (well really 9 given first issue I pointed out ;)) spots with same new Person.

            if(people[indexPeople] == null)
            {
                people[indexPeople] = newPerson;
            }

What you will need to do is exit your loop once you have added to person to an index.

for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length-1; indexPeople++)
        {
            if(people[indexPeople] == null)
            {
                people[indexPeople] = newPerson;
                return; // this should work -- break; is another option
            }
        }

     

When you get a chance, re-examine this code as well...
You need to look for Person object that matches firstname supplied and then remove it from your address book, which in your implementation is making that index in array null.  This doesn't appear to do that, so try implementing a different way.

public void removePerson(String firstName)
    {
        for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            String[] newPeople = new String[people.length];
            if(newPeople[indexPeople] == firstName)
            {
                people[indexPeople] = people[indexPeople + 1];
            }
        }
    }

Ok ..I did that and I still keep getting the same error. If I'm trying to add a new person each time the user enters "add" and then the name, yearBorn, and phone, is this loop rewriting everything each time a new person is added?

Sorry I'm trying to think of other ways to fix this problem, but the error keeps messing me up!

is there another way to check if the array is empty rather than setting the

      people[indexPeople] == null

because thats the only thing I can think of that's messing it up.

When did you change this?
Person[] people; // = new Person[10];

I must have missed that.  Your people array is null which is why you are getting the null pointer exception.  You will have to leave as:

Person[] people = new Person[10];

Would this be the correct way? What I think I'm doing is that if people[indexPeople].getFirstName() equals what the user inputs to delete then I set the people[indexPeople] to null and then shift every spot after that indexPeople up one.

   public void removePerson(String firstName)
    {
        for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {

            if(people[indexPeople].getFirstName() == firstName)
            {
                people[indexPeople] = null;
                people[indexPeople+1] = people[indexPeople];
            }
        }
    }

AH okay!!!! thanks.. but now I'm having problems with the removePerson method (ah this never ends!)

Okay PERFECT!!! this is what I did and it worked perfectly!

    public void removePerson(String firstName)
    {
        for(int indexPeople = 0; indexPeople<people.length; indexPeople++)
        {
            if(people[indexPeople] != null)
            {
                if(people[indexPeople].getFirstName().equalsIgnoreCase(firstName))
                {
                    people[indexPeople] = null;
                }
            }
        }
    }

I see why you said I need to use the .equals()etc.. (which is something I learned new today.. well a lot of stuff today)

You have been such a huge help, seriously! Thank you soo soo soo much! If I could give you 1000 points I would!

You have allowed me to get some sleep tonight! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!  

have a wonderful night!:)

SUCH A LIFESAVER!!! THANK YOU!!!!

You too.

And you are most welcome.