title: Checking Input Against Items in a String Array in Java
body: <p>I have the following code that I am working on for my college assignment. I am asked to use arrays, which I am using. I am asked to use for-loops and if-statement that I am doing already. I have come up with the following code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>class HardwareStore2 {
      public static void main(String[] args) {
          Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
  
          System.out.printf("%55s", "**WELCOME TO THE HARDWARE STORE**\n");
          System.out.printf("%55s", "=================================\n");
  
          String [] codes = {"G22", "K13", "S21", "I30"};
          String [] description = {"STICKY Construction Glue", "CAR-LO Key Ring", "SCREW-DUP Screwy Screws", "LET-IT-RAIN Padlock"};
          List&lt;String&gt; codeList = Arrays.asList(codes);
          String output = "";
          int i = 1000;
          String [] userCode = new String[i];
          char dolSymb = '$';
          int [] pricesAndTax = {10989, 5655, 1099, 4005, 20};
          int [] weight = {};
          int [] userQuantity = {1};
          int [] userPrice = new int[i];
          int userStickyPrice = 0;
          int userKeyringPrice = 0;
          int userScrewyPrice = 0;
          int userPadlockPrice = 0;
          int userPreWithTax = 0;
          int userTotal = 0;
          int userPreTotal = 0;
          int userShipping = 0;
  
          System.out.printf("%-10s%-40s%-15s%-10s\n", "CODE", "DESCRIPTION", "WEIGHT", "PRICE\n");
          System.out.printf("%-10s%-55s%s%d.%02d\n", codes[0], description[0], dolSymb, pricesAndTax[0]/100, pricesAndTax[0]%100);
          System.out.printf("%-10s%-55s%s%d.%02d\n", codes[1], description[1], dolSymb, pricesAndTax[1]/100, pricesAndTax[1]%100);
          System.out.printf("%-10s%-55s%s%d.%02d\n", codes[2], description[2], dolSymb, pricesAndTax[2]/100, pricesAndTax[2]%100);
          System.out.printf("%-10s%-55s%s%d.%02d\n", codes[3], description[3], dolSymb, pricesAndTax[3]/100, pricesAndTax[3]%100);
  
          System.out.println("PLEASE ENTER YOUR ORDER:");
          System.out.print("NAME: ");
          String username = in.nextLine();
          System.out.print("ADDRESS Line 1: ");
          String address1 = in.nextLine();
          System.out.print("ADDRESS Line 2: ");
          String address2 = in.nextLine();
          System.out.print("POSTAL CODE: ");
          String postalcode = in.nextLine();
  
          for (i = 0;; i++) {
              System.out.print("CODE (X to QUIT):");
              userCode[i] = in.nextLine();
  
              if (userCode[i].equalsIgnoreCase("x")) {
                  break;
              }
  
              System.out.print("QUANTITY: ");
              userQuantity[i] = in.nextInt();
              in.nextLine();
  
              if (userCode[i].equalsIgnoreCase(codes[0])) {
                  userStickyPrice += userQuantity[i]*pricesAndTax[0];
  
              }
              else if (userCode[i].equalsIgnoreCase(codes[1])) {
                  userKeyringPrice += userQuantity[i]*pricesAndTax[1];
  
              }
              else if (userCode[i].equalsIgnoreCase(codes[2])) {
                  userScrewyPrice += userQuantity[i]*pricesAndTax[2];
  
              }
              else if (userCode[i].equalsIgnoreCase(codes[3])) {
                  userPadlockPrice += userQuantity[i]*pricesAndTax[3];
  
              }
              else if (!codeList.contains(userCode)) {
                  i = i - 1;
              }
          }
       }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Now, everything is working seamlessly with a million ifs, and elses but I want to know if there is a way to replace all the if-else-if statements wirht one or two that do something like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>if (userCode[i].contains(codes[0], codes[1], codes[2], codes[3] {}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Or maybe something better like:</p>
  
  <pre><code>if (userCode.contains(any.one.item.in.codeList) {
      then.get.the.price.of.that.item.and.do.item.specific.operations
      }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Please let me know if the question is not clear enough. And once again, this is a college assignment so I would appreciate explanations.</p>