hashtable - Java Hash Table Search Function -

i have hash table created seem stuck on 1 problem. have data in hash table , when searching data returns expected. however, if search not in table still hashes out element present, not return false.

for example: have hello key in hash table, lets element 15. search world , hashes same hello, example.

what expect code return null because though key's hashed same, not equal. code below, return key/data (record) hello instead.

 @suppresswarnings("rawtypes") public record search(t k) {     int = hash(k);//assign computed hash value (combination of record class hashcode , table's hash function above) i.     if (a[i] == null || a[i].record.equals(k)) {          return null;      } else if (!a[i].record.equals(i) && a[i].record.getkey() != k) {//otherwise, record found , if key stored not equal key being searched return null         return a[i].record;     } else { //otherwise record not first record in linked list         cursor = a[i]; //set cursor equal entire list of records sorted hash key reference         if (cursor.record.getkey() != k) { //if key @ cursor.record not equal key (k), move onto cursor.next             return cursor.next.record;         }     }     return null; } 

record class

public class record<t, u> {  private t key;//contacts name, , value hashed. inserted, searched , deleted private u data;//this data contacts address, when key hashed, nothing done value except  //either stored or retrieved hash table when key used  public t getkey() {     return key;//returns value stored key }  public void setkey(t k) {     this.key = k;//used during insert operation set key's value. }  public u getdata(t k) {//retrieve data stored associated key has been updated, searhed or being written file     return data; }  public void setdata(u data) {//adds data records data element     this.data = data; }  public int hashcode(t k) {//when hash code function called, returns mathematical representation of key, passed     //it returns absolute value of generic hashcode() function. further computations required in table class, since hash created here     //can large , throw , exception.  example, hash "chris" after computation has been performed 94639767,     //much larger our array. cause indexoutofboundsexception().     return math.abs(k.hashcode()); }  public boolean equals(record<t, u> r) {     //this equals method, doesn't override generic equals() method provided java. instead, method created use instead of generic     //equals method. when called, has value computed above, additional math table class, compared of elements     //in array. if match found, returns true     return key.equals(r.key); } } 

this classic == vs .equals() problem.

a[i].record.getkey() != k can true while a[i].record.getkey().equals(k) true.

you should use (!a[i].record.getkey().equals(k)) instead of a[i].record.getkey() != k