I can't seem to pass a file through a parameter

[daletron3030]

Hi everyone. Just starting to write up my program right now and i've been stuck for more than an hour on this.

I'm planning to make a function that has a file as the parameter and I would like to use that function in the main.. but is that not possible or something? I keep getting this error in bold... please help =[

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

class Students
{

//VARIABLES
protected int count=0;
protected String []names = new String[40];
protected int []namespicked = new int[40];

//CONSTRUCTOR
public Students()
{
}

//OBJECTS
public void initialize(File namelist)
{
Scanner scanfile = new Scanner(namelist);
/* for(int a=0; (scanfile.hasNext()); a++)
{
names[a] = scanfile.nextLine();
namespicked[a] = 0;
count++;
}
*/ scanfile.close();
}
}

class P1
{
public static void main (String [] args) throws Exception
{

System.out.println("TESTING");

}
}


[ Wrote 39 lines ]

intranet (73) % javac randomstudent.java
randomstudent.java:20: unreported exception java.io.FileNotFoundException; must be caught or declared to be thrown
Scanner scanfile = new Scanner(namelist);
^
1 error
intranet (74) %

[mtyoung]

Scanner(File source) throws FileNotFoundException

you need to try catch block

[daletron3030]

can you please explain that to me and tell me what the code is for that?

I've also been experimenting.. i even removed that function completely and put

Scanner scanfile = new Scanner(name.txt);

in the Main and it's still giving me an error saying

"cannot find symbol."

argh this is so frustrating =T

[daletron3030]

ok well..... i got this line to work in main

Scanner scanfile = new Scanner(new File("name.txt"));

yet if i put the EXACT same line in my function up above in my Students class i get that throw error

can someone help me out with that?? =[

[mtyoung]

Constructor Scanner(File source) throws FileNotFoundException,
you need to catch the exception

plz read
The try Block (The Java™ Tutorials > Essential Classes > Exceptions)
The catch Blocks (The Java™ Tutorials > Essential Classes > Exceptions)

in the catch block, you need to handle namelist is not a existence file path

[angryboy]

you need to wrape line20 in a try-catch block.
OR
declare the function to throw an exception.