Do NOT do in Semester 2, 2012.

Data Struct Assignment #6

Friend Finder

OVERVIEW:

You will create a Java application similar to (but much simpler than) Facebook’s “Friend Finder” application. Note: You do NOT need to know anything about Facebook for this assignment.

BACKGROUND:

Now that you know to create an array, store and retrieve items in an array, and iterate (loop) through an array, you are ready to have some fun searching an array! Facebook has an application called “Friend Finder” that allows you to “friend” new people based on your profile.

INSTRUCTIONS:

For this assignment, you will be using the file FriendFinder.java (available from Pickup/CTS Courses/Computing Science 20/Arrays (Data Structures)/). Open the file and skim through it before reading on.

Part 1:  Ashley’s Friends Search:

You want to search Ashley’s friends for a name and find out his/her likes.  

• Take in a name from the user /1
• Search the ashleyFriends array and look for the name

• If the name is not in the list, give an error message /2
• If the name is in the list, print back that person’s likes.  E.g. Bryan likes mechanics. /1

• For debugging and marking purposes, your program should allow the user to complete 3 searches before continuing on to Part 2 (see below). /1

PART 2: Friend Finder for Bryan:

Currently, Ashley and Bryan only have one friend in common: Carmen. In this part of the assignment, you need to suggest new friends for Bryan by comparing the likes of Bryan’s current friends with the likes of Ashley’s friends.

• Hint: The “secret” to this assignment is figuring out how to compare each one of Bryan’s friends’ likes (bLikes[]) to every one of Ashley’s friends’ likes. One way to do this is to use 2 nested for loops.

Bryan and Carmen should NOT be suggested as friends. /1 Each time you find a “like” that Bryan and Ashley’s friends have in common, suggest that friend of Ashley’s to Bryan./2

If the user accepts this friend suggestion:

• Add the friend’s name to bryanFriends[]. /1 Note: bryanFriends[] does not need to remain sorted.  
• Add the friend’s like to bLikes[] /1
• Increment bFriendCount /1
• Ensure that Bryan’s friends will not exceed the maximum of 25 and print an appropriate message to the user if they would. /2
• Print an updated friend list for Bryan. /1

If the user rejects this friend suggestion, no changes are made to the above variables. /1

If the user types “EXIT” as input instead of accepting or rejecting a friend, your program should exit. /1

NOTES (final 10%):

• Good coding and commenting practices. /2
• Remember that arrays are passed by reference (any changes to them will be reflected in the calling method), while other parameters are passed by value (they are copied).
• You may not use built-in search methods for this assignment. You should search the arrays in a linear manner (one by one, as discussed in class).

Total: /18

SAMPLE PROGRAM RUN:

Part 1:

Please enter a name to search for:

Carmen

Carmen is a friend of Ashley's

Part 2:

Friend Suggestion: Doug

Doug likes: math as does your friend Darby

Would you like to accept Doug? (y/n)

y

Bryan's current friends:

1. Ashley

2. Bobbi

3. Carmen

4. Darby

5. Eddie

6. Fiona

7. Gillian

8. Hope

9. Ida

10. Jake

11. Kevin

12. Lilly

13. Mel

14. Doug