java - Based on the condition how to create StringBuffers and append data to it -

my arraylist contains list of values in string format

the data inside arraylist way

arraylist<string> my_list = new arraylist<string>();     my_list.add("today date");     my_list.add("some content1");     my_list.add("*****");     my_list.add("some content2");     my_list.add("some content3");     my_list.add("*****");     my_list.add("some content5");     my_list.add("some content6");     my_list.add("*****");     my_list.add("some content8"); 

i trying create 1 sepearte stringbuffer content present after seperator *****

i have tried way

import java.io.filenotfoundexception; import java.util.arraylist;  import org.json.jsonarray;  public class test {     public static void main(string[] args) throws filenotfoundexception {         arraylist<string> my_list = new arraylist<string>();         jsonarray jsarray = new jsonarray();         my_list.add("today date");         my_list.add("some content1");         my_list.add("*****");         my_list.add("some content2");         my_list.add("some content3");         my_list.add("*****");         my_list.add("some content5");         my_list.add("some content6");         my_list.add("*****");         my_list.add("some content8");       for(int i=0;i<my_list.size();i++)         {             string linedata = my_list.get(i);             if(linedata.equals("*****"))             {                 stringbuffer sb = new stringbuffer();                 sb.append(linedata);                 jsarray.put(sb.tostring());             }         }       system.out.println(jsarray);     } } 

the output got

["*****","*****","*****"]    

where expected output should way

["today date content1", "some content2 content3", "some content5 content6", "some content8"] 

could please tell me making mistake , how resolve

you doing exact opposite of intent; ignoring content , adding "*****" separators. incidentally, if don't need thread safe here, can use stringbuilder instead of stringbuffer.

instead of creating stringbuilder every time encounter separator, need have stringbuilder created , ready before encounter separator. if encounter separator, don't append it; convert string, place in array, , clear it. make sure place last string in array after loop finished, after last separator.

stringbuilder sb = new stringbuilder(); for(int i=0;i<my_list.size();i++) {     string linedata = my_list.get(i);     if(linedata.equals("*****"))     {         jsarray.put(sb.tostring());         sb.setlength(0);  // clear     }     else     {         sb.append(linedata);     } } jsarray.put(sb.tostring());  // last one!