If statement wont execute even though evaluation is true

Question

In the following code, the block under if(timesout[entry] == "exit") will never execute. I have verified timesout[entry] for the current loop is set as "exit" in debugging mode, as well as by printing out the variable before the if statement is evaluated, but no matter what, the block never executes when I enter exit at the prompt, and I am stumped as to why.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class timetracker {
public static void main(String args[]) {
    boolean exit = false;
    String[] reasons = new String[30];
    String[] timesout = new String[30];
    String[] timesin = new String[30];
    int entry = 0;
    Scanner keyinput = new Scanner(System.in);

    recordloop:
    while(exit == false) {
        //record info



        System.out.println("Enter time out:");
        timesout[entry] = keyinput.nextLine();

        if(timesout[entry] == "exit") {
            exit = true;
            break recordloop;   
        }

        System.out.println("Enter reason:");
        reasons[entry] = keyinput.nextLine();
        System.out.println("Enter time in:");
        timesin[entry] = keyinput.nextLine();

        entry = entry + 1;

    }

    System.out.println("Times away from phone:\n ----- \n");
    int count = entry;
    entry = entry + 1;

    while(count < entry) {
        System.out.println(reasons[count] + ": " + timesout[count] + " - " + timesin[count] + "\n");
        count = count + 1;
    }
}
}

Answer 1

timesout[entry] == "exit"

use equals() to compare String, == compares reference equality

See

• Java String.equals versus ==
• Interview : Java Equals

Answer 2

Instead of

if(timesout[entry] == "exit") 

use

if(timesout[entry].equals("exit"))

or

if("exit".equals(timesout[entry]))

more information different between == and equals()

 http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12171783/how-is-it-possible-for-two-string-objects-with-identical-values-not-to-be-equal/12171818#12171818 

Answer 3

Can you try

if("exit".equals(timesout[entry]))

instead of

if(timesout[entry] == "exit")

As @Jigar Joshi pointed you should see the difference and meaning of == and equals()