Using JDK 1.1.3 and found out below problem regarding of Choice Box.

Test Case:

import java.awt.*;

public class Test extends Frame {
   public Test() {
super("This is just a test.");

Choice choice = new Choice();
choice.select("1");
System.out.println("Choice select 1 = " + choice.getSelectedIndex());
choice.addItem("1");
choice.select("2");
System.out.println("Choice select 2 = " + choice.getSelectedIndex());
choice.addItem("2");
choice.select("3");
System.out.println("Choice select 3 = " + choice.getSelectedIndex());
choice.addItem("3");
choice.select("1");
System.out.println("Choice now select 1 = "+choice.getSelectedIndex());
choice.select("2");
System.out.println("Choice now select 2 = "+choice.getSelectedIndex());
choice.addItem("exit");
add(choice);

resize(300,300);
show();
    }

    public boolean action(Event e, Object o) {
if (e.target instanceof Choice) {
String objString = (String)o;
if (objString.equals("exit"))
System.exit(0);
}
return true;
    }
    public static void main(String args[]) {
new Test();
    }
}

Problems found:

This is what will be returned if you compile and run the test application.

Choice select 1 = -1
Choice select 2 = 0
Choice select 3 = 0
Choice now select 1 = 0
Choice now select 2 = 1

Note that, when first time select("1") and then getSelectedIndex(), it returns
-1 which is great since the Choice donesn't contain "1" at this time. And -1
could be used to indicate "not-found".

Then, addItem("1"), select("2") and getSelectedIndex(). This time, "2" is not
on the Choice box yet but the getSelectedIndex() returns a 0. Which is the same
index of "1" on the Choice box.

This is very confused. You will get a 0 (zero) returned from getSelectedIndex() when you try to select a "non-existing" item. AND you will get a 0 (zero)
returned from getSelectedIndex() when you try to select the very first item!!

It would be much better to return a -1 to indicate a "not-found" item.