Binary Search Base Case help

[2sticks]

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.text.*;

public class binarySearch
{

static final int MAX = 1500; // 1500 Records

//Linear Search void Method
static void linearSearch (String[] phoneBook) throws IOException
{
String search;

int counter = 0; // A counter for the number of comparisons made

BufferedReader stdin = new BufferedReader (new InputStreamReader (System.in));
System.out.println ("Enter the phone number to be searched for: "); // Get the requested number
search = stdin.readLine ();

for (int i = 0 ; i < MAX ; i++)
{
counter++;
if (phoneBook [i].equals (search)) //If linear search method found the number
{
System.out.println ("The phone number was found at Index number: " + i);
System.out.println ("There were " + counter + " comparisons made.");
break;
}


}
if (counter == 1500) //Linear search did not find the number
{

System.out.println ("Your number was not found in the phonebook");
System.out.println ("There were " + counter + " comparisons made.");

}
}


//Binary Search void Method
public static int binarySearchMethod (String[] phoneBook, String search, int min, int max, int count) throws IOException
{
BufferedReader stdin = new BufferedReader (new InputStreamReader (System.in));

count++; // Count the number of comparisons

int mid = (min + max) / 2;

if (phoneBook [mid].compareTo (search) > 0)
return binarySearchMethod (phoneBook, search, min, mid, count);

else if (phoneBook [mid].compareTo (search) < 0)
return binarySearchMethod (phoneBook, search, mid, max, count);

if (mid == 1)
System.out.println ("Not found");
return 0;

}


public static void main (String str[]) throws IOException
{
BufferedReader stdin = new BufferedReader (new InputStreamReader (System.in));
DecimalFormat df = new DecimalFormat ("#");
String phoneNumber, searchOption;
String line;
int counter = 0;
int select;

BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader (new FileReader ("phone.txt"));

String[] phoneBook = new String [MAX]; //"Phone book" array

//Inputs all the records from the text file and stores it into an array
while ((line = reader.readLine ()) != null)

{
phoneBook [counter] = line;
counter++;
}


reader.close ();


System.out.println ("How would you like to search for the phone number? \n 1)Linear Search \n 2)Binary Search");
select = Integer.parseInt (stdin.readLine ());


//Choice of method of searching
switch (select)
{
case 1: //Linear

linearSearch (phoneBook);

break;

case 2: //Binary
String search;
System.out.println ("Enter the phone number to be searched for: ");
search = stdin.readLine ();
int count = 0;
int position = binarySearchMethod (phoneBook, search, 0, MAX - 1, count);


System.out.println ("Search term is at: " + position + "\n Number of comparisions: " + count);

break;

// A form of validation if the user does not pick one of the options
default:
System.out.println ("Pick again");
break;


}
}
}




The stuff above is the code, how would I add for a base case in the binary search method to stop the infinite loop if there is no number present in the array. Also why is the count++ not working as well?

[Insectoid]

What happens to min and max as the tree progresses in the search?