I'm looking to create a Java program that will store several types of
data in a file, for example : ID number, name, age, dob, address etc
etc. I want to able to display this information, search for a
particular record using the ID number and add new records (from the
java program to file).

Please be specific your requirements:

1. Do you want a solution for USD10, propose here?

2. What type of file format do you want? a text file, or a CSV file (a
type of Excel file: Comma Seperate Values), or a XML file, or a
database ...

3. Do you want the so-called "address book" (my own term) to be a
standard format (can be read by Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo mail, Outlook
... etc), or just a proprietary format.

4. Do it need to support for export format (e.g.: to handphone, to PDA
using infra-red, bluetooth, network shared ... etc).

5. Estimated amount of data (for search efficacy consideration).

6. How portable and use on what device? E.g.: For Pentium II PC with
64MB ram only, or J2ME enable devices ... etc.

7. Supporting multiple user?

8. Multilingua? How many language to be supported, what are them
(english, chinese, japanese, french, ...)?

Sorry for asking so much, but this is how I find out requirements from my customer.

Notice: Answers to above questions can define a scope for the
application ... negotiable.


By Avatar

1. Yep.

2. A text file will do. 

3. No, it doesn't need to be read by a mail program. 

4. No.

5. Very small. Lets say no more than 20 records.

6. No, it won't be used on a mobile or anything like that. Just an ordinary PC. 

7. Not required.

8. Just English.

Try this api: http://datafile.sourceforge.net/

Sorry for can't show you the codes (my development PC is down), so try
up your self ... I think this is the fastest way to do it.

So your contact files can be save in CSV format, and dynamic field
binding is possible.

I can do it.its pretty easy.
But,i need to know the fields & size to store in the DB.

I've since found this site :
http://www.java2s.com/Code/Java/File-Input-Output/Datafile.htm which
gives the closest example of what I'm looking for.

roor4 - The field size's should be a max of 20 characters for each record.