Thread: File writing and reading for ArrayLists

Well, I saw a thing about "codes" stored in a text file, where users are given codes and then they can use them to redeem things. So, I wrote some stuff up using a text file and an array list.
I give you the basic methods for this.

Code:

    public static boolean useCode(String toRemove) {
        if (Server.codes.contains(toRemove)) {
            if (Server.codes.remove(toRemove)) {
                arrayToFile(Server.codeLocation, Server.codes);
                return true;
            }
        }
        return false;
    }
    public static void fileToArray(String file, ArrayList array, boolean debug) {
        try {
            File theFile = new File(file);
            if (file == null) {
                if (debug) {
                    System.out.println("[fileToArray] File is null");
                }
                return;
            }
            array.clear();
            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file));
            String line;
            while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
                array.add(line);
                if (debug) {
                    System.out.println("Added : " + line);
                }
            }
            if (debug) {
                System.out.println("List contains " + array.size() + " entries");
            }
            br.close();
            if (debug) {
                System.out.println("[fileToArray] Loaded " + array.size() + " entries");
            }
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            //Logger.getLogger(manager.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            if (debug) {
                System.out.println("[fileToArray] Error loading file : " + file);
                ex.printStackTrace();
            }
        }
    }

    public static void arrayToFile(String file, ArrayList array) {
        try {
            FileWriter outFile = outFile = new FileWriter(file);
            PrintWriter out = out = new PrintWriter(outFile);
            for (int i = 0; i < array.size(); i++) {
                out.println(array.get(i));
            }
            out.close();
            outFile.close();
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            //Logger.getLogger(manager.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            System.out.println("[arrayToFile] Error writing to file : " + file);
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

Basically you setup your file location and array list, when your server starts, load your array list from a file using the methods, then in commands or whatever, use useCode as a boolean, so if the boolean is true, you give the player a reward, if its false, the code does not exist. If it is true, the item is removed from the array and the array is saved.

An example command for this is

Code:

if (cmd.startsWith("code")) {
                String entry = cmd.substring(5);
                if (Misc.useCode(entry)) {
                    c.Send("The code you redeemed is correct!");
                    c.addItem(995, 100000);
                } else {
                    c.Send("Sorry, the code you have entered is invalid");
                }
            }

So if the array (loaded from the text file) contains the code, the user is given the whatever, and the item is removed from the array, and then it is re-saved to the file.


Expanded uses :
Have it read from a web site, and on the website, use a donation system? or perhaps some type of forum integration?
Comments? Criticism?