Thread: instantiate problems

hello i use netbeans and i was working on an example program for a class motorcycle
which goes

Motorcycle = new Motorcycle
in this line the program returned an error that said Motorcycle cant be instantiated. pls what does dis mean

Please post the code for the Motorcycle class. There are a variety of reasons why the Motorcycle class can't be instantiated:

1. The class is either an interface or declared abstract
2. You're using the wrong syntax (as suggested by aussiemcgr)
3. The class has no accessible constructors (for example a private or protected constructor)

Really grateful 4 d assistance it really helped but i got anoda issue wich i dont quite undastand anytime i write a code like

public static void main (String args[]) {

i always get illegal start of expression, and also with something like dis

void showAtts() {

If you're making a method you have to include private or public BEFORE the return.

public void showAtts(){}
//or
private void showAtts(){}

Here is how to set up a method:

Modifier return-type name(parameter param) exceptions { //code }
//example
public String returnStringExample(String stringName) { //code }

See this website for more information Defining Methods (The Java™ Tutorials > Learning the Java Language > Classes and Objects)

@Brt93 i dont get you, am i expected to create a new method or can i just replace the method with something like dis

public String returnStringAtts (String showAtts) {

AM CONFUSED.just a beginner

the web page aint opening,some kinda of error

I don't know why the web page is freaking out. Anyways, all of it depends on what you are trying to do. If I were you I would go through some more tutorials. Here is a good place to start: http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/

I'm assuming what you're trying to do, so please correct me if I am going in the wrong direction.

public void showAtts(int motorcycleNumber){
   if (motorcycleNumber == 1) { //do motorcycle 1 things }
   if (motorcycleNumber == 2) { //do motorcycle 2 things }
 //ETC...      
}

Thanks very much this program is from a text book am reading and it is part of the test programs but each time i write the entire program i dont make any head out of it, i always get error replies. for the showatts i already created the variables indicating the make and color of the motorcycle as follows

public void showAtts() {
        System.out.println("This motorcycle is a "
                + color +" " + make);
        if (engineState == true)
            System.out.println("The engine is on.");
        else System.out.println("The engine is off.");
 
    public static void main (String args[]) {
        Motorcycle motor = new Motorcycle();
        motor.make = "Yamaha RZ350";
        motor.color = "Yellow";
        System.out.println("Calling showAtts...");
        motor.showAtts();
        System.out.println("........");
        System.out.println("Starting engine...");
        motor.startEngine();
        System.out.println("........");
        System.out.println("Calling showAtts...");
        motor.showAtts();
        System.out.println("........");
        System.out.println("Starting engine...");
        motor.startEngine();
    }
    }

now for each step i get illegal start of expression and in the case of the showAtts i get symbol not found

i hope this would give u a beta idea of my problem. really appreciate the time

This should work. I strongly suggest that you go through the tutorials in the link I posted earlier.

public class motorcycle {
	static String make,color;
	static boolean engineState;
 
	public static void startEngine(){
		engineState = true;
	}
 
	public static void showAtts() {
        System.out.println("This motorcycle is a "
                + color +" " + make);
        if (engineState == true)
            System.out.println("The engine is on.");
        else System.out.println("The engine is off.");
	}
 
    public static void main (String args[]) {
        make = "Yamaha RZ350";
        color = "Yellow";
        System.out.println("Calling showAtts...");
        motorcycle.showAtts();
        System.out.println("........");
        System.out.println("Starting engine...");
        motorcycle.startEngine();
        System.out.println("........");
        System.out.println("Calling showAtts...");
        motorcycle.showAtts();
        System.out.println("........");
        System.out.println("Starting engine...");
        motorcycle.startEngine();
    }
}