Cannot convert String to int, but both are strings?

Question

I am just messing around with some exercises in a book for a Java summer class because I am a little ahead, meaning this is not homework. I'm getting an error message stating you cannot convert from String to int but both are Strings, one is a variable and one an Array.

It's this line I'm having trouble with... select = items[select];

public class CarpentryChoice {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String items [] = {"Table", "Desk", "Chair", "Couch", "Lazyboy"};
        int price [] = {250, 175, 125, 345, 850};

        String select;

        Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);

        System.out.println("Please enter an item to view it's price: ");
        select = scan.nextLine();

        for(int i=0; i < items.length; i++) {
            select = items[select];
        }       
    }
}

Answer 1

Because select is a String variable, it cannot be used as an index in an array.

select = items[select];

I believe you meant to use the index value i in your for loop (where i is 0 to items.length). Something like

select = items[i];

However, based on your comments below, I believe you really wanted

int select = scan.nextInt();
System.out.println("You selected: " + items[select]);

Based on your edit, you could do it with two arrays and two loops. Something like,

String items[] = { "Table", "Desk", "Chair", "Couch", "Lazyboy" };
int price[] = { 250, 175, 125, 345, 850 };
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
int pos = -1;
outer: while (pos == -1) {
    System.out.println("Please enter an item to view it's price: ");
    String select = scan.nextLine();
    for (int i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
        if (items[i].equalsIgnoreCase(select.trim())) {
            pos = i;
            break outer;
        }
    }
}
if (pos != -1) {
    System.out.printf("The price is %d%n", price[pos]);
}

But a Map would (in my opinion) be a better solution (it's certainly more efficient). Like,

String[] items = { "Table", "Desk", "Chair", "Couch", "Lazyboy" };
int[] price = { 250, 175, 125, 345, 850 };
Map<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>();
for (int i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
    map.put(items[i], price[i]);
}
Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Please enter an item to view it's price: ");
while (scanner.hasNextLine()) {
    String item = scanner.nextLine().trim();
    if (map.containsKey(item)) {
        System.out.printf("The price is %d%n", map.get(item));
    }
    System.out.println("Please enter an item to view it's price: ");    
}

Answer 2

item is an array of string.

The array will be accessed by indexes (the values must be integer, since it is not an associative array like we have in php).

You are trying to access the value of an array using the string as index which is not possible and this is why you are getting conversion error.

change

   select = items[select]; // <--- select is string, must be int here

to

 select = items[Integer.valueOf(select)]; //select is an integer value now

This will convert the string value into integer and pass it to the array, you will be accessing the string array with integer index now.