Arrays - Java - page 355

The Method main Has an Array Parameter
The heading for the main method of a program is as follows:
public static void main(String[] args)
The identifier args is a parameter for an array of base type String . The details are explained
in the text.
Methods that Return an Array
In Java, a method may return an array. You specify the return type for a method that
returns an array in the same way that you specify a type for an array parameter. For
example, the following is an example of a method that returns an array:
public static char [] upperCaseVersion( char [] a)
{
char [] temp = new char [a.length];
char i;
for (i = 0; i < a.length; i++)
temp[i] = Character.toUpperCase(a[i]);
return temp;
}
Returning an Array
A method can return an array. The details are basically the same as for a method that returns
an object of a class type.
SYNTAX (FOR A TYPICAL WAY OF RETURNING AN ARRAY)
public static Base_Type [] Method_Name ( Parameter_List )
{
Base_Type [] temp = new Base_Type [ Array_Size ]
< Some code to fill temp goes here. >
return temp;
}
The method need not be static and need not be public. You do not necessarily need to use a
local array variable like temp .
EXAMPLE (ASSUMED TO BE IN A CLASS DEFINITION)
public static int [] incrementedArray( int [] a, int increment)
{
int [] temp = new int [a.length];
int i;
for (i = 0; i < a.length; i++)
temp[i] = a[i] + increment;
return temp;
}