Thread: Why isn't this code working?

Hello, I am trying to write a program that would output the song "ninety nine bottles of beer on the wall" but for some reason this code isn't working. These are the directions.


Write a program that outputs the lyrics for "Ninety Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall". Your program should print the number of bottles in English, not as a number. For example:
Ninety nine bottles of beer on the wall,
Ninety nine bottles of beer,
Take one down, pass it around,
Ninety eight bottles of beer on the wall.
…
One bottle of beer on the wall,
One bottle of beer,
Take one down, pass it around,
Zero bottles of beer on the wall.
Your program should not use ninety nine different output statements!
Design your program with a class named BeerSong whose constructor takes an integer parameter that is the number of bottles of beer that are initially on the wall. If the parameter is less than zero, set the number of bottles to zero. Similarly, if the parameter is greater than 99, set the number of beer bottles to 99. Then make a public method called printSong that outputs all stanzas from the number of bottles of beer down to zero. Add any additional private methods you find helpful.

In this CodeMate exercise, you should implement a constructor for the BeerSong class that takes a single parameter of type int that specifies the number of bottles of beer. You should also implement a method named printNumInEnglish that takes a single int parameter specifying a number to be printed (in English) to the console.

public class BottleSong { here
/**
* The number of bottles on which stanzas to be written. The max and min limit to set this is 0 and 99 respectively.
*/
private int numberOfBottles = 0;
/**
* Strings that will be displayed in ones positions
*/
private String[] onesStrings = {"one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"};
/**
* Strings that will be displayed in tens positions
*/
private String[] tensStrings = {"zero", "ten", "twenty", "thirty", "forty", "fifty", "sixty", "seventy", "eighty", "ninety"};
/**
* The special numbers which don't come in a pattern. They are the numbers between 10 and 20
*/
private String[] tenToTwentyStrings = {"eleven", "twelve", "thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen", "sixteen", "seventeen", "eighteen", "nineteen"};
/**
* Constructor
* @param numberOfBottles The number of bottles on which stangas to be written
* @see #numberOfBottles
*/
public BottleSong(int numberOfBottles){
setNumberOfBottles(numberOfBottles);
}
/**
* Set appropriate number of bottles according to the conditions
* @param numberOfBottles
*/
private void setNumberOfBottles(int numberOfBottles){
if (numberOfBottles < 0){ // Min should be zero
this.numberOfBottles = 0;
}else if (numberOfBottles > 99){ // Max should be ninety nine
this.numberOfBottles = 99;
}else{
this.numberOfBottles = numberOfBottles;
}
}
/**
* Print the whole poem
*/
public void printStanza(){
while (numberOfBottles >= 0){
//
printStanza(numberOfBottles);
numberOfBottles --;
}
}
/**
* Print stanza for the current number of bottles
* @param numberOfBottles Current number of bottle count present.
*/
private void printStanza(int numberOfBottles){
String numberOfBottlesInText = getTextForNumber(numberOfBottles) + " bottle" + (numberOfBottles != 1 ? "s" : "");
System.out.println(numberOfBottlesInText + " on the wall\n" + numberOfBottlesInText);
if (numberOfBottles > 0){// For last bottle, no need to print this line
System.out.println("\nTake one down, pass it around\n");
}
}
/**
* Provides the text string for the given number. For example, one for 1.
* @param numberToBeConverted The number to be converted
* @return The number in text format
*/
private String getTextForNumber(int numberToBeConverted){
String textForNumber = "";
int tensPart = numberToBeConverted / 10;
int onesPart = numberToBeConverted % 10;
if (onesPart == 0){
textForNumber += tensStrings[tensPart];
}else{
if (tensPart > 1){
textForNumber += (tensStrings[tensPart] + " " + onesStrings[onesPart - 1]);
}else if (tensPart == 1){
textForNumber += tenToTwentyStrings[onesPart - 1];
}else{
textForNumber += onesStrings[onesPart - 1];
}
}
return textForNumber;
}
/**
* @param args the command line arguments
*/
public static void main(String[] args) { here
new BottleSong(Integer.parseInt(args[0])).pr… here
}

}

Basically I'm receiving errors on the lines where I put here at the end. Can anyone please tell me what's wrong with my code?

Originally Posted by KevinWorkman

When posting code, please use the highlight tags. Unformatted code is very hard to read. Also, post the full text of any error messages or stack traces you receive.

public class BottleSong {
/**
* The number of bottles on which stanzas to be written. The max and min limit to set this is 0 and 99 respectively.
*/
private int numberOfBottles = 0;
/**
* Strings that will be displayed in ones positions
*/
private String[] onesStrings = {"one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"};
/**
* Strings that will be displayed in tens positions
*/
private String[] tensStrings = {"zero", "ten", "twenty", "thirty", "forty", "fifty", "sixty", "seventy", "eighty", "ninety"};
/**
* The special numbers which don't come in a pattern. They are the numbers between 10 and 20
*/
private String[] tenToTwentyStrings = {"eleven", "twelve", "thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen", "sixteen", "seventeen", "eighteen", "nineteen"};
/**
* Constructor
* @param numberOfBottles The number of bottles on which stangas to be written
* @see #numberOfBottles
*/
public BottleSong(int numberOfBottles){
setNumberOfBottles(numberOfBottles);
}
/**
* Set appropriate number of bottles according to the conditions
* @param numberOfBottles
*/
private void setNumberOfBottles(int numberOfBottles){
if (numberOfBottles < 0){ // Min should be zero
this.numberOfBottles = 0;
}else if (numberOfBottles > 99){ // Max should be ninety nine
this.numberOfBottles = 99;
}else{
this.numberOfBottles = numberOfBottles;
}
}
/**
* Print the whole poem
*/
public void printStanza(){
while (numberOfBottles >= 0){
//
printStanza(numberOfBottles);
numberOfBottles --;
}
}
/**
* Print stanza for the current number of bottles
* @param numberOfBottles Current number of bottle count present.
*/
private void printStanza(int numberOfBottles){
String numberOfBottlesInText = getTextForNumber(numberOfBottles) + " bottle" + (numberOfBottles != 1 ? "s" : "");
System.out.println(numberOfBottlesInText + " on the wall\n" + numberOfBottlesInText);
if (numberOfBottles > 0){// For last bottle, no need to print this line
System.out.println("\nTake one down, pass it around\n");
}
}
/**
* Provides the text string for the given number. For example, one for 1.
* @param numberToBeConverted The number to be converted
* @return The number in text format
*/
private String getTextForNumber(int numberToBeConverted){
String textForNumber = "";
int tensPart = numberToBeConverted / 10;
int onesPart = numberToBeConverted % 10;
if (onesPart == 0){
textForNumber += tensStrings[tensPart];
}else{
if (tensPart > 1){
textForNumber += (tensStrings[tensPart] + " " + onesStrings[onesPart - 1]);
}else if (tensPart == 1){
textForNumber += tenToTwentyStrings[onesPart - 1];
}else{
textForNumber += onesStrings[onesPart - 1];
}
}
return textForNumber;
}
/**
* @param args the command line arguments
*/
public static void main(String[] args) { here
new BottleSong(Integer.parseInt(args[0])).pr… here
}

} here

Ok this is what I have so far.

The problem lies in the last 3 lines. Where I wrote "here" that's where the red question mark pops up indicating an error. Also, when I try to run it why does it say that assignment.pkg4.pkg1.Assignment41 class wasn't found in assignment 4.1 project? It's telling me that there is no main class found. Why is that?

package assignment.pkg4.pkg1;

/**
*
*
*/
public class Assignment41 {

/**
* @param args the command line arguments
*/

This is what I have exactly before the code I posted. This is on top of the "public class BottleSong {" and so on and so forth. If you can help me with this that would be great. Thank you.

Please use code tags, not quote tags.

Where is the error message text? Can you compile the source with javac and post the error messages from the compiler?

For the public static void main thing it says "illegal static declaration in inner class assignment.pkg4.pkg1.Assignment41.BottleSong. Modifier 'static' is only allowed in constant variable declarations."

For new BottleSong (Integer.parseInt (args[0])).pr... it says "non-static variable this cannot be referenced from a static context. Not a statement. Illegal character: \8230."

For the last brace it says "reached end of file while parsing."

How do I do that? I don't see what the problem is. I copied and pasted everything from my IDE to here. I'm using NetBeans if that matters.

Can you change the tags around your code from quote to code to make your code readable?

Can anyone please help me?

Are you having problems doing this?
Can you change the tags around your code from quote to code to make your code readable?

Your code is not readable the way it is posted.

public class BottleSong {

private int numberOfBottles = 0;

private String[] onesStrings = {"one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"};

private String[] tensStrings = {"zero", "ten", "twenty", "thirty", "forty", "fifty", "sixty", "seventy", "eighty", "ninety"};

private String[] tenToTwentyStrings = {"eleven", "twelve", "thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen", "sixteen", "seventeen", "eighteen", "nineteen"};

public BottleSong(int numberOfBottles){
setNumberOfBottles(numberOfBottles);
}

private void setNumberOfBottles(int numberOfBottles){
if (numberOfBottles < 0){
this.numberOfBottles = 0;
}else if (numberOfBottles > 99){
this.numberOfBottles = 99;
}else{
this.numberOfBottles = numberOfBottles;
}
}

public void printStanza(){
while (numberOfBottles >= 0){
//
printStanza(numberOfBottles);
numberOfBottles --;
}
}

private void printStanza(int numberOfBottles){
String numberOfBottlesInText = getTextForNumber(numberOfBottles) + " bottle" + (numberOfBottles != 1 ? "s" : "");
System.out.println(numberOfBottlesInText + " on the wall\n" + numberOfBottlesInText);
if (numberOfBottles > 0){// For last bottle, no need to print this line
System.out.println("\nTake one down, pass it around\n");
}
}

private String getTextForNumber(int numberToBeConverted){
String textForNumber = "";
int tensPart = numberToBeConverted / 10;
int onesPart = numberToBeConverted % 10;
if (onesPart == 0){
textForNumber += tensStrings[tensPart];
}else{
if (tensPart > 1){
textForNumber += (tensStrings[tensPart] + " " + onesStrings[onesPart - 1]);
}else if (tensPart == 1){
textForNumber += tenToTwentyStrings[onesPart - 1];
}else{
textForNumber += onesStrings[onesPart - 1];
}
}
return textForNumber;
}

public static void main(String[] args) { here
new BottleSong(Integer.parseInt(args[0])).pr… here
}

} here

Ok is this readable now?

Basically the only problem I have is the line that says, "new BottleSong(Integer.parseInt(args[0])).pr… ". It's saying illegal character: \8230 and that it's not a statement. I fixed the others by making BottleSong the only public class.

So you're saying I should remove that statement? I did and when I ran it I got nothing. Is the code supposed to be working?

So no one knows? I'm not sure why it isn't running...

What isn't running? Add a call to println to print out a message the first thing in the main() method. If it prints then you will know that the program is running.

How do I do that? I'm sorry for asking these questions, I'm a beginner with this and really don't know...

Which don't you know?
add a line of code first thing in the main() method
printing a message?

Your code has several statements that print output using println. For example:

   System.out.println("\nTake one down, pass it around\n");

Change the message and add it to the main() method

So am I supposed to just add this: "System.out.println("\nTake one down, pass it around\n");" after the public static void main(String[] args) { ? I did and when I ran it it outputted Take one down, pass it around. That's all it outputted.

That shows that your program is running.
Now if you want it to execute other parts of the program you will have to add code to do that.
One way is to create an instance of the class that the main() method is in and call one of its methods.

Originally Posted by Norm

That shows that your program is running.
Now if you want it to execute other parts of the program you will have to add code to do that.
One way is to create an instance of the class that the main() method is in and call one of its methods.

I thought I already did do that. How do I create an instance of the class and call one of its methods?

Did you skip the first couple of chapters of your textbook?
Creating an instance and calling a method are very basic concepts.
Here is a tutorial that you should read:
Trail: Learning the Java Language: Table of Contents (The Java™ Tutorials)