Thread: ActionListener help

I receive this error from within my listener

CallWindow.java:94: local variable txtStartTime is accessed from within inner class; needs to be declared final
String startTime = txtStartTime.getText();
^
startTime is outside this class because they are data that comes from JTextFields residing in a class method. Upon clicking a button, I need to get the code from a text box to manipulate the data.
Here's a code snippet.

add(new JLabel("Label 1"));
JTextField txtStartTime = new JTextField(8);
txtStartTime.addActionListener(listener);

// button code here

button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){

String startTime = txtStartTime.getText();

Any ideas how I can get to the data in the Jtext fields?

Well, I got this one to work, a new problem emerges.

Inside my ActionPerformed method I'm trying to call my CheckedTime fromString method which will instantiate a new PhoneCall object. However, my code is doing wierd things and not working...surprise. Here's the call to the method, but I can't figure out why its not working.

This is from my CheckedTime class:

public static CheckedTime fromString(String time) {

//code

}

This is in my CallWindow class inside which has the actionPerformed method below.

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {

CheckedTime callStart = new CheckedTime.fromString(startTime);

startTime is from the data from my TextField

String startTime = txtStartTime.getText();

Any assistance is appreciated.

I can't figure out why its not working.

Can you explain what does happen? "not working" has too many possibilities.

my CheckedTimefromString method which will instantiate a new PhoneCall object

Where is the PhoneCall object? the CheckedTimefromString method returns a CheckedTime object.

The fromString() returns another object that it is creating, which I will use to create a new object. So eventually I'll have two checkedTime objects, which I will use to create an object with these two. I don't see any difference in the info provided above than from what I originally posted.

I have 3 classes I'm working with. The below line is in an actionListener within one class that also contains my main. CheckedTime is another class, PhoneCall is another class.

CheckedTime callStart = new CheckedTime.fromString(startTime); //The fromString() returns an object of type CheckedTime

I'll do this twice to create a new object below which I'll do more work on later which is also in it's own class.
PhoneCall phoneCall = new PhoneCall(callStart, callEnd);

Duh..I now know what you mean by delete...I have a lot of expletives to call myself right now.

Yeah, I just figured out what Junky was saying. So simple I missed it.

Sorry, I miss what "is not working".

BTW to call a static method of a class, you do not need to create an instance of the class.
Just use the class name: ClassName.staticMethod(parms...);

I'm close now, but having troubles with another part of my program. I need to output all this information and format it properly. I have this block of code, but due to the location of variables inside and outside the ActionListener I can't access the variables properly.

JTextField cost = new JTextField("0", 8);
add(cost); //field to hold total cost

DecimalFormat dollarFormat = new DecimalFormat("$####.##");
output = dollarFormat.format(phoneCall.computeCost());
cost.setText(output);

If I put this inside my listener the cost field isn't displayed at all. If I put it outside the listener it can't access the phoneCall object and this can't computeCost(). If I split it up in any way the setText() won't work if it can't see the variable "output".