Hash Table

[zcruz]

I don't know how to get started on the code for the hash table which will be using chaining. All I know is that I'm creating an inventory system that will store an item's:
1) SKU
2) description
3) cost
4) retail
5) qty on hand

and the SKU number is what is going to be used for storing the items in a hash table. So when a certain SKU is entered, that item associated with that SKU will show the description, cost, retail, and quantity of that item. I've never written code for a hash table so please help.

 

[globos]

Suppose you have the class :

class Item
{
  //Constructor
  public Item (String sku, String desc, int cost, ??? retail, int quantity) {...}

  //Accessors
  public String sku () {...}
  public String description () {...}
  public int cost () {...}
  public ??? retail () {...}//I don't know the type
  public int quantity () {...}
};

Then your inventory system could work like this :

//Create the inventory
import java.util.Hashtable;
...
Hashtable inventory = new Hashtable ();

//Insert items in inventory
inventory.put ("item1", new Item ("item1", "desc1", 0, ?, 1);
inventory.put ("item2", new Item ("item2", "desc2", 0, ?, 1);
...

//Get item1 from the inventory
if (inventory.containsKey ("item1"))
  Item item1 = (Item) inventory.get ("item1")
else
  //error code

See

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

for further documentation.

--
Globos