I have a program, which is essentially done, but there is something I am not very pleased with. First of it is a program that acts like a very basic shopping cart. The user can add or remove items, clear the list of selections they chose, and check out. This is where I believe the code needs improvement...

Right now, when the user clicks check out(it is a menu item) it get the subtotal based off the selected indexes of the list the user can choose from. This isn't good because, if they remove an item or add one at a later time, the calculations would be incorrect. Is there any other way I can calculate the total for what the user chose?

Any pointers for this will be very helpful. My code is posted below, the calculations are in the displayBill method...

import java.awt.*;
   import java.awt.event.*;
   import java.io.File;
   import java.io.*;
   import javax.swing.*;
   import java.util.*;
   import java.text.DecimalFormat;

   public class ShoppingCartSystem extends JFrame
   {	
   	//Declare array to put file into it.
      String[] books = new String[7];
      private double[] bookPrices = {11.95, 14.50, 29.95, 18.50, 12.95, 10.95, 14.50};
   	
   
   	// Declare components
      private JPanel greetingPanel;	   // To hold greeting components
      private JPanel booksPanel;		  // To hold the books components
      private JPanel shoppingCartPanel;   // To hold the shoppingCart components
      private JPanel billPanel;				// To hold the bill components
   
      private JLabel headerLabel;		 // To display header message
      private JList booksList;			// List of books
      private JLabel booksLabel;		  // Display booklist label
   	
      private DefaultListModel listModel; // To add and remove items.
      private JList shoppingCartList;	 // List of Items in shopping cart
      private JLabel shoppingCartLabel;   // Display shopping cart label.
   	
      private JTextArea orderBill;			 // Display the bill.
   
      private JMenuBar menuBar;		 // The menu bar
      private JMenu fileMenu;		   // The file menu
      private JMenu editMenu;		   // The edit menu
      private JMenu helpMenu;		   // The help menu
      private JMenuItem exitItem;	   // Item to exit application
      private JMenuItem addTo;		  // Item to add selected books to shopping cart
      private JMenuItem remove;		 // Item to remove selected books from shopping cart
      private JMenuItem clearAll;	   // Item to clear all books from shopping cart
      private JMenuItem checkOut;	   // Item to check out
      private JMenuItem help;		   // Item to display help box.
   
   /**
    * Constructor
    */
   
      public ShoppingCartSystem()
      {
      // Call the JFrame constructor to set title
         super("Glens' Online Book Store");
      
      // Specify an action for the close button.
         setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      
      // Create a BorderLayout manger for the content pane.
         setLayout(new BorderLayout());
      
      // Build the panels.
         buildGreetingPanel();
         buildBooksPanel();
         buildShoppingCartPanel();
         buildBillPanel();
      
      // Add panels to the content pane.
         add(greetingPanel, BorderLayout.NORTH);
         add(booksPanel, BorderLayout.WEST);
         add(shoppingCartPanel, BorderLayout.EAST);
         add(billPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
      
      // Build the menu bar.
         buildMenuBar();
      
      // Pack and display the window.
         pack();
         setVisible(true);
      
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildGreetingPanel method adds a greeting
    * message to a panel.
    */
   
      private void buildGreetingPanel()
      {
      // Create a panel
         greetingPanel = new JPanel();
      
      // Create a greeting message.
         headerLabel = new JLabel("Welcome to Glenns' Online Books!");
      
         headerLabel.setFont(new Font("Dialog",Font.BOLD,20)); 
      
      // Add the label to the panel.
         greetingPanel.add(headerLabel);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildBooksPanel method adds a list
    * to a panel.
    */
   
      private void buildBooksPanel()
      {
         openFile();
      	
      	// Create a panel.
         booksPanel = new JPanel();
      	
      	// Add GridLayout manager to the content pane.
         booksPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(2, 1));
      	
      	// Create a greeting message.
         booksLabel = new JLabel("     	Available Books:");
         booksLabel.setFont(new Font("Dialog",Font.BOLD,14));
      	
      	// Create a list
         booksList = new JList(books);
      
      	// Set the list to multiple interval selection mode.
         booksList.setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.MULTIPLE_INTERVAL_SELECTION);
      
      	// Set number of visible rows to 7.
         booksList.setVisibleRowCount(7);
      	
      	// Add lsit to a scroll pane
         JScrollPane booksListScroll = new JScrollPane(booksList);
      	
      	// Add label to the panel.
         booksPanel.add(booksLabel);
      	
      	// Add the list to the panel.
         booksPanel.add(booksListScroll);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildShoppingCartPanel methods adds a list to 
    * a panel. This will hold the selected books.
    */
   
      private void buildShoppingCartPanel()
      {
      // Create a panel to hold another list.
         shoppingCartPanel = new JPanel();
      
      // Add GridLayout manager to the content pane.
         shoppingCartPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(2, 1));
      
      // Create a greeting message.
         shoppingCartLabel = new JLabel("        		Your Cart");
         shoppingCartLabel.setFont(new Font("Dialog",Font.BOLD,14));
      
      // Create list model.
         listModel = new DefaultListModel();
      
      // Create the list.
         shoppingCartList = new JList(listModel);
      
         shoppingCartList.setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.MULTIPLE_INTERVAL_SELECTION);
      
      // Set the number of visible rows to 7.
         shoppingCartList.setVisibleRowCount(7);
      
      // Add list to a scroll pane.
         JScrollPane shoppingCartScroll = new JScrollPane(shoppingCartList);
      
      // Add label to the panel.
         shoppingCartPanel.add(shoppingCartLabel);
      
      // Add list to the panel
         shoppingCartPanel.add(shoppingCartScroll);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildGreetingPanel method adds a greeting
    * message to a panel.
    */
   
      private void buildBillPanel()
      {
      // Create a panel
         billPanel = new JPanel();
      
      // Create a text area.
         orderBill = new JTextArea(10,20); 
      
      // Add the label to the panel.
         billPanel.add(orderBill);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildMenuBar method builds the menu bar.
    */
   
      private void buildMenuBar()
      {
      // Create the menu bar.
         menuBar = new JMenuBar();
      
      // Create the file and edit menus
         buildFileMenu();
         buildEditMenu();
         buildHelpMenu();
      
      // Add the file and edit menus to the menu bar.
         menuBar.add(fileMenu);
         menuBar.add(editMenu);
         menuBar.add(helpMenu);
      
      // Set the windows menu bar.
         setJMenuBar(menuBar);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildFileMenu method builds the File MEnu
    * and returns a reference to its JMenu object.
    */
   
      private void buildFileMenu()
      {
      // Create an Exit menu item.
         exitItem = new JMenuItem("Exit");
         exitItem.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_X);
         exitItem.addActionListener(new ExitListener());
      
      // Create a JMenu object for the file menu.
         fileMenu = new JMenu("File");
         fileMenu.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_F);
      
      // Add the Exit item to the file menu.
         fileMenu.add(exitItem);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildEditMenu method builds the Edit menu
    * and returns a reference to its JMenu object.
    */
   
      private void buildEditMenu()
      {
      // Create an addTo menu item.
         addTo = new JMenuItem("Add to Cart");
         addTo.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_A);
         addTo.addActionListener(new AddToListener());
      
      // Create a remove menu Item.
         remove = new JMenuItem("Remove Item from Cart");
         remove.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_R);
         remove.addActionListener(new RemoveListener());
      
      // Create a clearAll menu item.
         clearAll = new JMenuItem("Clear Shopping Cart");
         clearAll.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_L);
         clearAll.addActionListener(new ClearAllListener());
      
      // Create a checkOut menu item.
         checkOut = new JMenuItem("Check Out");
         checkOut.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_C);
         checkOut.addActionListener(new CheckOutListener());
      
      // Create menu object for Edit Menu.
         editMenu = new JMenu("Edit");
         editMenu.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_E);
      
      // Add items to the Edit menu.
         editMenu.add(addTo);
         editMenu.add(remove);
         editMenu.add(clearAll);
         editMenu.add(checkOut);
      }
   
   /**
    * The buildHelpMenu method builds the Help menu
    * and returns a reference to its JMenu object.
    */
    
      private void buildHelpMenu()
      {
      // Create an Exit menu item.
         help = new JMenuItem("About");
         help.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_B);
         help.addActionListener(new HelpListener());
      
      // Create a JMenu object for the file menu.
         helpMenu = new JMenu("Help");
         helpMenu.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_H);
      
      // Add the Exit item to the file menu.
         helpMenu.add(help);	
      }
   
   /**
    * Private inner class that handles the event that
    * is generated when the user selects Exit from
    * the file menu.
    */
   
      private class ExitListener implements ActionListener
      {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
         {
            System.exit(0);
         }
      }
   
   /**
    * Private inner class that handles the event that
    * is generated when the user selects Add to Cart
    * from the edit menu.
    */
   
      private class AddToListener implements ActionListener
      {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
         {  
            int[] listArray = booksList.getSelectedIndices();  
         
            for (int index = 0; index < listArray.length; index++)  
            {  
               listModel.addElement("\n" + books[listArray[index]] + "\n");  
            }  
         
            listModel.addElement("\n");  
         				
         }
      }
   
   /**
    * Private inner class that handles the event that
    * is generated when the user selects Remove from
    * the edit menu.
    */
   
      private class RemoveListener implements ActionListener
      {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
         {	
         // Get the books selected for removal.
            int book = shoppingCartList.getSelectedIndex();
         
            if (book > -1)
            {
            // Remove books from shopping cart.
               listModel.removeElementAt(book);
            }
         
         }
      }
   
   /**
    * Private inner class that handles the event that
    * is generated when the user selects clear from 
    * the edit menu.
    */
   
      private class ClearAllListener implements ActionListener
      {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
         {
         	// Clear all books from shopping cart.
            listModel.clear();
         	
         	// Clear selections.
            booksList.clearSelection();
         	
            repaint();
         }
      }
   
   /**
    * Private inner class that handles the event that 
    * is generated when the user selects Checkout from
    * the edit menu.
    */
   
      private class CheckOutListener implements ActionListener
      {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
         {
            displayBill();
            pack();
         
         }
      }
   
   /**
    * Private inner class that handles the event that
    * is generated when the user selects About from
    * the help menu.
    */
   
      private class HelpListener implements ActionListener
      {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
         {
            String helpMessage = "This is a program to buy books from "
               					+ "\nthe list presented to you."
               					+ "\n"
               					+ "\nYou can add the books to your "
               					+ "\nshopping cart by clicking 'Add to Cart'"
               					+ "\nunder the edit menu."
               					+ "\n"
               					+ "\nWhen you're ready to check out, select all"
               					+ "\nitems that you want and click 'Check Out' and"
               					+ "\nyour reciept will appear at the bottom of"
               					+ "\nthe page.";
         							
            String note = "\n"
               		  + "\nNOTE: You can select multiple items at once by"
               		  + "\nholding down 'ctrl' on your keyboard and"
               		  + "\nclicking on each book title.";
         				  
         				  
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, helpMessage + note);
         							
         }
      }
   
      public void openFile()
      {
         int index = 0;
         try
         {
         
         // Open the file.
            File file = new File("BookPrices.txt");
            Scanner inputFile = new Scanner(file);
         
         //Read the file contents into the array.
            while (inputFile.hasNext() && index < books.length)
            {
               books[index] = inputFile.nextLine();
               index++;
            }
         
         // Close the file.
            inputFile.close();
         }
            catch (FileNotFoundException e)
            {
            // The file was not found.
               System.out.println("The file doesn't exist.");
            
            }
      }
   	
      public void displayBill()
      {
         DecimalFormat dollar = new DecimalFormat("$##0.00");
      
         int[] listArray = booksList.getSelectedIndices();  
        
         double subTotal = 0;  
         double total = 0.0;	
         double taxes = 0.0;
      	  
         for (int index = 0; index < listArray.length; index++) 
         {
            subTotal = subTotal  
                + bookPrices[listArray[index]];
         }
      					
         taxes = subTotal * .06; 
         total = subTotal + taxes;
      	
         String header = "\n\tOnline Books\n";
      
         String bill = "\n\t\tSubTotal: " + dollar.format(subTotal)
            				+ "\n\t\tTaxes: " + dollar.format(taxes)
            				+ "\n\t\tTotal: " + dollar.format(total);
      						
         orderBill.setText(header + "\n\n" + listModel + bill);
         orderBill.setFont(new Font("Courier", Font.BOLD, 14));
      }
   
   /**
    * The main method creates an instance of the 
    * ShoppingCartSystem class, which causes it to
    * display its window.
    */
   
      public static void main(String[] args)
      {
         new ShoppingCartSystem();
      }
   }

Why not just have an instance variable that holds subtotal total and taxes, and increment or decrement based on what the user selects. I might have missed your point entirely, so some more explanation would be helpful.

Ok, when I select two items and checkout. Say the subtotal is $26.95. Then when I go back and remove one item and only have one selected. The subtotal is still $26.95.

If I understand you right, then what you are doing is OK. Once someone has checked out that's it, they can't change the list of items later except by a possible "update existing order" function, and then only if the order hasn't been dispatched (at least, that's how e-shopping sites and supermarkets work for me).
I'd expect the whole item list GUI to disappear after a check out and be replaced by a "thank you for your order" screen.

ps: parallel post with Gerbiller, who has a valid suggestion - perhaps you should update the total in real time (ie in response to item selection/deselection), but the point I made about check out stands.

I totally agree with James, once you've checked out thats it you can't change what you already have put in to your cart, unless through a special gui option.

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