---
title: "Check array in an arraylist contains a certain value"  
description: "Check array in an arraylist contains a certain value"  
author: "Norman Reedus"  
published: 2014-10-29  
updated: 2014-10-29  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/2454/check-array-in-an-arraylist-contains-a-certain-value  
category: "java"  
tags: ["java"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Check array in an arraylist contains a certain value

I have an [array](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/335/jagged-array-in-c-sharp-dot-net) list which contains [arrays](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/11955/arrays-and-its-limitations) of type [String](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1527/string-split-in-c-sharp). I create the array list and [add](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/12983/add-address-in-textbox-when-page-is-load-and-if-i-search-address-in-textbox-show-in-map-by-javascript) arrays to it with the following [code](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/85458/alan-turing-the-mastermind-behind-cracking-the-enigma-code-during-world-war-ii):\

```
List<String[]> transaction =new ArrayList<String[]>(); String[] transactionLine = new String[7];transactionLine[0]= "0";transactionLine[1]= "1";//.....transactionLine[6]= "some value"; transactionLines.add(transactionLine);
```

[Now](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/81402/it-s-liberals-vs-progressives-in-us-politics-now) I want to [test](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/1427/explosive-facts-about-trinity-test-world-s-first-nuclear-bomb) if one of the arrays contain a [certain value](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/23089/in-java-how-can-i-test-if-an-array-contains-a-certain-value). I tried it like this, but then it checks for an array and not an element of an array:\

```
if(transactionLines.contains("some value")) {      //Do some}
```

\

## Replies

### Reply by Manoj Bhatt

try this:

```
public class Test {     public static void main(final String[] args) {        final List<TransactionLine> transaction = new ArrayList<>();         transaction.add(new TransactionLine(1, "some value"));        transaction.add(new TransactionLine(2, "another value"));        transaction.add(new TransactionLine(3, "yet another value"));         System.out.println(containsName(transaction, "some value"));        System.out.println(containsName(transaction, "non-existent value"));    }    private static boolean containsName(final List<TransactionLine> transaction, final String search) {        for (final TransactionLine transactionLine : transaction) {            if (transactionLine.getName().equals(search)) {                return true;            }        }         return false;    }     private static class TransactionLine {         private int id;         private String name;         public TransactionLine(final int id, final String name) {            this.id = id;            this.name = name;        }         public int getId() {            return id;        }         public void setId(final int id) {            this.id = id;        }         public String getName() {            return name;        }         public void setName(final String name) {            this.name = name;        }     } }
```

Here is an example with two classes (Transaction and TransactionLine):\

```
public class Test {     public static void main(final String[] args) throws Exception {        final Transaction transaction = new Transaction();         transaction.add("some name");        transaction.add("another name");        transaction.add("yet another name");         System.out.println(transaction.containsName("some name"));        System.out.println(transaction.containsName("non-existent name"));    } }
```

**Transaction:**\

```
import java.util.ArrayList;import java.util.List; public class Transaction {     private final List<TransactionLine> transactionLines = new ArrayList<>();     public void add(final String name) {        final TransactionLine tl = new TransactionLine(transactionLines.size(), name);         transactionLines.add(tl);    }     public boolean containsName(final String name) {        for (final TransactionLine transactionLine : transactionLines) {            if (transactionLine.getName().equals(name)) {                return true;            }        }         return false;    } }
```

**TransactionLine:**\

```
public class TransactionLine {     private int id;     private String name;     public TransactionLine() {    }     public TransactionLine(final int id, final String name) {        this.id = id;        this.name = name;    }     public int getId() {        return id;    }     public void setId(final int id) {        this.id = id;    }     public String getName() {        return name;    }     public void setName(final String name) {        this.name = name;    } }
```


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/2454/check-array-in-an-arraylist-contains-a-certain-value

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