Thread: Problem with calling objects from same-class methods in main

In my main class, I have a method that creates a list of Fossil objects. I put it into a separate method to make the overall code cleaner. In main, I am able to call the method createFossils() without errors but as soon as I try to use the Fossil objects themselves (ex. Museum.addFossil( amber.getName() ); ) I get the "cannot find symbol" error for the "amber" object, which I initialized in createFossils().
I know I could get around this by initializing the Fossil objects inside main, but it would be just a big chuck of 'Fossil ____ = new Fossil' lines. Is there any way to make this work? I was thinking it was the method types of createFossils(), which right now I have public static void createFossils(). Does it need to be something more like private void createFossils() or something similar? Because in that case I wouldn't be able to call it in main, right? Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Norm

Are the definitions for the symbols/variables that can't be found in scope where you are trying to use them?

If by definitions for the symbols/variables you mean the initializing line (Fossil amber = new Fossil("Amber", 1200, false) being the same as the constructor in the Fossil class, then yes. I'm trying to test adding a Fossil to a Museum object, but the main class does not recognize the fossils being initialized using the createFossils() method
If that's not what you meant, then I don't understand, sorry.

Ah, okay I see. No, not directly.
Here's how I have it set up:

(main)
Museum muse = new Museum();

createFossils(); //<-- This is where amber is being defined. Unless this would be considered in scope, then no.
//createFossils() is another method inside the same class as main

muse.addFossil(amber.getName());

Originally Posted by Norm

If amber is defined inside of a method then it will NOT be known anywhere else in the program except inside that method.

Okay that clears a lot up for me. Like I said, I know I can create each and every Fossil object in main but do you know of a way to create all 25 of them that I need in one line of code? That was my overall goal of using the createFossils() method. If not, then I can just do it one at a time.

Ah well, it was worth a shot. Thanks for the help though

In your main program make a datastructure of amber objects (e.g ArrayList) en provide this with amber objects (with your createFossils methode) then with a iterator object you can use your addFossil() methode to get the amber objects. I don't think it's a good idea to get the amber objects with their name (.getname())

Originally Posted by alaindhaene

I don't think it's a good idea to get the amber objects with their name (.getname())

Amber is just one of the 25 Fossil objects I need to make. (stego tail, stego torso, stego skull, trex tail, etc). In my Museum class, the addFossil method needs a string that adds to the array of Fossils in the Museum, hence the getName(). But I see what you're saying with using the array, then changing addFossils() to pick from the array.[COLOR="Silver"]

Please provide your code...

import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.lang.*;
public class AnimalCrossingTest
{
	public static String name, town, temp;
	public static Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
	public static int bellBalance;
 
	public static void intro()
	{
		//*****INTRO*****
		System.out.println("Welcome to the crazy, wonderful\nworld of Animal Crossing!");
		System.out.println();
		System.out.println("*******************************");
		System.out.println();
 
		//**NAME**
		boolean ready=false;
		do {
			System.out.print("Go ahead and enter your name: ");
			name = scan.nextLine();
			char n = Character.toUpperCase(name.charAt(0));
			String qu = name.substring(1);
			name = n+qu;
			System.out.println();
			System.out.print("Okay, "+name+"!\n...that is your name, right? ");
			temp = scan.nextLine();
			System.out.println();
			if(temp.equalsIgnoreCase("yes"))
			{
				System.out.println("Whew! I'm glad that's settled, "+name+"!");
				System.out.println();
				ready=true;
			}
		} while(ready==false);	
 
		//**GENDER**
		ready=false;
		boolean boy=true;
		do {
			do {
				System.out.print("Well, then are you a boy or a girl? ");
				temp=scan.nextLine();
				if(temp.equalsIgnoreCase("girl"))
				{
					boy=false;
					System.out.println();
					ready=true;
				}
				if(temp.equalsIgnoreCase("boy"))
				{
					boy=true;
					System.out.println();
					ready=true;
				}
			} while(ready==false);
			if(boy==true)
			{
				System.out.print("You're a boy, huh? ");
				temp = scan.nextLine();
				if(temp.equalsIgnoreCase("no"))
				{
					ready=false;
				}
				System.out.println();
			}
			if(boy==false)
			{
				System.out.print("You're a girl, huh? ");
				temp = scan.nextLine();
				if(temp.equalsIgnoreCase("no"))
				{
					ready=false;
				}
				System.out.println();
			}	
		} while(!temp.equalsIgnoreCase("yes"));
 
		//**TOWN*NAME**
		ready=false;
		do {
			do {
				System.out.print("So, where you headed? ");
				town = scan.nextLine();
				char t = Character.toUpperCase(town.charAt(0));
				String q = town.substring(1);
				town = t+q;
				System.out.println();
				System.out.print("Did I hear that right? I think you said "+town+"... ");
				temp=scan.nextLine();
			} while(!temp.equalsIgnoreCase("yes"));
			if(temp.equalsIgnoreCase("yes"))
			{
				System.out.println();
				System.out.println("Onward to "+town+"!");
				ready=true;
			}
		} while(ready=false);
 
		//**CREATE*PLAYER**
		System.out.println();
		CharacterObj player = new CharacterObj(name,town,boy,1000);
		System.out.println(player.toString());
 
		//**CREATING*MUSEUM**
		Museum muse = new Museum();
		//**ADDING*FOSSILS*TO*MUSEUM**
		createFossils();
		muse.addFossil(amber);
		System.out.println("Current collection of the museum in "+town+":");
		System.out.println();
		System.out.println(muse.toString());
		muse.listFossils();
 
		//**CREATING*THE*TOWN**
		Town myTown = new Town(town, 0);
		myTown.showMap();
	}
 
	//Name of fossil, price if sold, and owned or not
	public static void createFossils()
	{
		Fossil amber = new Fossil("Amber", 1200, false);
		Fossil dinoe = new Fossil("Dinosaur Egg", 1400, false);
		Fossil ammo = new Fossil("Ammonite", 1100, false);
		Fossil track = new Fossil("Dinosaur Track", 1000, false);
		Fossil mamTo = new Fossil("Mammoth Torso", 2500, false);
		Fossil mamSk = new Fossil("Mammoth Skull", 3000, false);
		Fossil plesTo = new Fossil("Plesio Torso", 4500, false);
		Fossil plesNe = new Fossil("Plesio Neck", 4500, false);
		Fossil plesSk = new Fossil("Plesio Skull", 4000, false);
		Fossil pteRW = new Fossil("Ptera Right Wing", 4500, false);
		Fossil pteLW = new Fossil("Ptera Left Wing", 4500, false);
		Fossil pteSk = new Fossil("Ptera Skull", 4000, false);
		Fossil steTi = new Fossil("Stego Tail", 4000, false);
		Fossil steTo = new Fossil("Stego Torso", 4500, false);
		Fossil steSk = new Fossil("Stego Skull", 5000, false);
		Fossil apaTa = new Fossil("Apato Tail", 4000, false);
		Fossil apaTo = new Fossil("Apato Torso", 4500, false);
		Fossil apaSk = new Fossil("Apato Skull", 5000, false);
		Fossil rexTa = new Fossil("T-Rex Tail", 5000, false);
		Fossil rexTo = new Fossil("T-Rex Torso", 5500, false);
		Fossil rexSk = new Fossil("T-Rex Skull", 6000, false);
		Fossil triTa = new Fossil("Tricera Tail", 4500, false);
		Fossil triTo = new Fossil("Tricera Torso", 5000, false);
		Fossil triSk = new Fossil("Tricera Skull", 5500, false);		
	}
 
	public static void createFish()
	{
		//River or big pond
		Fish angel = new Fish("Angelfish", 3000, false);
		Fish arapa = new Fish("Arapaima", 10000, false);
		Fish arowa = new Fish("Arowana", 10000, false);
		Fish barbe = new Fish("Barbel Steed", 200, false);
		Fish bass = new Fish("Bass", 300, false);
		Fish bitte = new Fish("Bitterling", 1300, false);
		Fish blueg = new Fish("Bluegill", 120, false);
		Fish carp = new Fish("Carp", 300, false);
		Fish catfi = new Fish("Catfish", 200, false);
		Fish cherr = new Fish("Cherry Salmon", 1300, false);
		Fish cruci = new Fish("Crucian Carp", 120, false);
		Fish dace = new Fish("Duce", 200, false);
		Fish eel = new Fish("Eel", 2000, false);
		Fish guppy = new Fish("Freshwater Guppy", 1300, false);
		Fish killi = new Fish("Killifish", 300, false);
		Fish koi = new Fish("Koi", 2000, false);
		Fish lbass = new Fish("Large Bass", 3000, false);
		Fish loach = new Fish("Loach", 300, false);
		Fish palec = new Fish("Pale Chub", 200, false);
		Fish piran = new Fish("Piranha", 6500, false);
		Fish ponds = new Fish("Pond Smelt", 300, false);
		Fish popey = new Fish("Popeyed Goldfish", 1300, false);
		Fish rainb = new Fish("Rainbow Trout", 650, false);
		Fish sbass = new Fish("Small Bass", 200, false);
		Fish strin = new Fish("Stringfish", 15000, false);
		Fish sweet = new Fish("Sweetfish", 1300, false);
		//Big pond only
		Fish brook = new Fish("Brook Trout", 150, false);
		Fish gcatf = new Fish("Giant Catfish", 15000, false);
		Fish gsnak = new Fish("Giant Snakehead", 6500, false);
		//Ocean fish
		Fish barre = new Fish("Barred Knifejaw", 5000, false);
		Fish coela = new Fish("Coelacanth", 15000, false);
		Fish jelly = new Fish("Jellyfish", 100, false);
		Fish redsn = new Fish("Red Snapper", 3000, false);
		Fish salmo = new Fish("Salmon", 650, false);
		Fish seaba = new Fish("Sea Bass", 120, false);
		//Small pond fish
		Fish crawf = new Fish("Crawfish", 250, false);
		Fish frog = new Fish("Frog", 250, false);
		//Waterfall only
		Fish lchar = new Fish("Large Char", 10000, false);
	}
 
	public static void createBugs()
	{
		//Flying about
		Bug bande = new Bug("Banded Dragonfly", 4500, false);
		Bug cbutt = new Bug("Common Butterfly", 80, false);
		Bug cdrag = new Bug("Common Dragonfly", 130, false);
		Bug darnd = new Bug("Darner Dragonfly", 200, false);
		Bug mosqu = new Bug("Mosquito", 130, false);
		Bug purpb = new Bug("Purple Butterfly", 2000, false);
		Bug redbu = new Bug("Red Butterfly", 80, false);
		Bug tigbu = new Bug("Tiger Butterfly", 200, false);
		Bug yelbu = new Bug("Yellow Butterfly", 80, false);
		//On trees
		Bug bagwo = new Bug("Bagworm", 250, false);
		Bug bee = new Bug("Bee", 4500, false);
		Bug broci = new Bug("Brown Cicada", 200, false);
		Bug drone = new Bug("Drone Beetle", 80, false);
		Bug dynas = new Bug("Dynastid Beetle", 1350, false);
		Bug eveni = new Bug("Evening Cicada", 850, false);
		Bug fstag = new Bug("Flat Stag Beetle", 2000, false);
		Bug gbeet = new Bug("Giant Beetle", 10000, false);
		Bug jewel = new Bug("Jewel Beetle", 3000, false);
		Bug longh = new Bug("Longhorn Beetle", 200, false);
		Bug mount = new Bug("Mountain Beetle", 2000, false);
		Bug robus = new Bug("Robust Cicada", 300, false);
		Bug sawst = new Bug("Saw Stag Beetle", 2000, false);
		Bug spide = new Bug("Spider", 300, false);
		Bug walke = new Bug("Walker Cicada", 400, false);
		//On flowers
		Bug ladyb = new Bug("Ladybug", 130, false);
		Bug manti = new Bug("Mantis", 430, false);
		Bug snail = new Bug("Snail", 250, false);
		Bug splad = new Bug("Spotted Ladybug", 200, false);
		//Near water
		Bug firef = new Bug("Firefly", 250, false);
		Bug ponds = new Bug("Pondskater", 130, false);
		//In patches of grass or on ground
		Bug bellc = new Bug("Bell Cricket", 430, false);
		Bug grass = new Bug("Grasshopper", 130, false);
		Bug llocu = new Bug("Long Locust", 200, false);
		Bug mlocu = new Bug("Migratory Locust", 1350, false);
		Bug pinec = new Bug("Pine Cricket", 100, false);
		//Miscellaneous
		Bug ant = new Bug("Ant", 80, false);
		Bug cockr = new Bug("Cockroach", 5, false);
		Bug molec = new Bug("Mole Cricket", 200, false);
		Bug pillb = new Bug("Pill Bug", 250, false);
	}
 
	public static void createPaintings()
	{
		Painting amaze = new Painting("Amazing Painting", false);
		Painting basic = new Painting("Basic Painting", false);
		Painting classi = new Painting("Classic Painting", false);
		Painting commo = new Painting("Common Painting", false);
		Painting daint = new Painting("Dainty Painting", false);
		Painting famou = new Painting("Famous Painting", false);
		Painting fine = new Painting("Fine Painting", false);
		Painting flowe = new Painting("Flowery Painting", false);
		Painting movin = new Painting("Moving Painting", false);
		Painting perfe = new Painting("Perfect Painting", false);
		Painting quain = new Painting("Quaint Painting", false);
		Painting rare = new Painting("Rare Painting", false);
		Painting scary = new Painting("Scary Painting", false);
		Painting stran = new Painting("Strange Painting", false);
		Painting worth = new Painting("Worthy Painting", false);
	}
 
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		createFossils();
		intro();
	}
}

public class Museum
{
	private int foscount, fiscount, bugcount, paicount;
	private String fosname, fisname, bugname, painame;
	private String[] foscollection = new String[25];
	private String[] fiscollection = new String[40];
	private String[] bugcollection = new String[40];
	private String[] paicollection = new String[15];
	private boolean have;
 
	public Museum()
	{
		foscount=0;
		fiscount=0;
		bugcount=0;
		paicount=0;
	}
 
	public void addFossil(Fossil f)
	{
		for(int i=0;i<foscollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(foscollection[i]==null)
			{
				foscollection[i] = f.getName();
				break;
			}
		}
		foscount++;
	}
 
	public void addFish(Fish f)
	{
		for(int i=0;i<fiscollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(fiscollection[i]==null)
			{
				fiscollection[i] = f.getName();
				break;
			}
		}
		fiscount++;
	}
 
	public void addBug(Bug b)
	{
		for(int i=0;i<bugcollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(bugcollection[i]==null)
			{
				bugcollection[i] = b.getName();
				break;
			}
		}
		bugcount++;
	}
 
	public void addPainting(Painting p)
	{
		for(int i=0;i<paicollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(paicollection[i]==null)
			{
				paicollection[i] = p.getName();
				break;
			}
		}
		paicount++;
	}
 
	public void listFossils()
	{
		System.out.println();
		System.out.print("Fossils: ");
		for(int i=0;i<foscollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(foscollection[i]==null)
			System.out.print(".");
			else
			System.out.print(foscollection[i]+" ");
		}
	}
 
	public void listFish()
	{
		System.out.println();
		System.out.print("Fish: ");
		for(int i=0;i<fiscollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(fiscollection[i]==null)
			System.out.print(".");
			else
			System.out.print(fiscollection[i]+"- ");
		}
	}
 
	public void listBugs()
	{
		System.out.println();
		System.out.print("Bugs: ");
		for(int i=0;i<bugcollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(bugcollection[i]==null)
			System.out.print(".");
			else
			System.out.print(bugcollection[i]+"- ");
		}
	}
 
	public void listPaintings()
	{
		System.out.println();
		System.out.print("Paintings: ");
		for(int i=0;i<paicollection.length-1;i++)
		{
			if(paicollection[i]==null)
			System.out.print(".");
			else
			System.out.print(paicollection[i]+"- ");
		}
	}
 
	public String toString()
	{
		String tempo = "Fossils:   "+foscount+
					 "\nFish:	   "+fiscount+
					 "\nBugs:	   "+bugcount+
					 "\nPaintings: "+paicount;
		return tempo;
	}
}

public class Fossil
{
	private String name;
	private int price;
	private boolean have;
 
	public Fossil(String n, int p, boolean h)
	{
		name=n;
		price=p;
		have=h;
	}
 
	public String getName()
	{
		return name;
	}
 
	public int getPrice()
	{
		return price;
	}
 
	public boolean doHave()
	{
		return have;
	}
 
	public void setHave(boolean h)
	{
		have=h;
	}
}