gistfile1.java

    // You'll want to load this from resource
    private static char[][] T9_MAP = new char[][] {
        { '0' }, // Default
        { '1' },
        { '2', 'a', 'b', 'c' },
        { '3', 'd', 'e', 'f' },
        { '4', 'g', 'h', 'i' },
        { '5', 'j', 'k', 'l' },
        { '6', 'm', 'n', 'o' },
        { '7', 'p', 'q', 'r', 's' },
        { '8', 't', 'u', 'v'},
        { '9', 'w', 'x', 'y', 'z'}
    };
    
    private static String nameToNumber(String name) {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        int len = name.length(); // to devatwork: don't inline this, it's faster this way
        for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
            boolean matched = false;
            char ch = Character.toLowerCase(name.charAt(i));
            for (char[] row : T9_MAP) {
                for (char a : row) {
                    if (ch == a) {
                        matched = true;
                        sb.append(row[0]);
                        break;
                    }
                }
                if (matched) {
                    break;
                }
            }
            if (!matched) {
                sb.append(T9_MAP[0][0]);
            }
        }
        return sb.toString();
    }