variable scope between classes

[newbie123]

I think I have a variable scope problem that I am hoping someone can help me with.

I create a variable and set its value in one class. I then want to use this variable and its value in another class.

When I try to access the value in the second class, the value is returned as "null".

How do I declare the variable in the first class so that it is usable in the second class?

[Fubarable]

You have a bug in your program probably unrelated to what you think is wrong. I think we'll need to see example code to help determine what is wrong, an SSCCE would be perfect.

[nolsen01]

public class A{

    private int intToReturn;

    public A(){
        this.intToReturn = 5;
    }

    public int returnInt(){
        return this.intToReturn;
    }

}


public class B{

    private A a;
    int myInt;

    public B(){
        a = new A();
        myInt = a.returnInt();
    }

}

[Fubarable]

There are no scope problems in the code you've posted that I can see.

[newbie123]

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class Main1 extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{
        JPanel cards;

        final static String CARD1 = "firstWindow";
        final static String CARD2 = "secondWindow";

        public void addComponentToPane( Container pane )
        {
                JPanel Pane = new JPanel();

                Panel1 p1 = new Panel1();

                JPanel card1 = new JPanel();
                card1.setLayout( new FlowLayout() );

                card1.add( p1 );

                JButton startButton = new JButton( "START" );
                startButton.setActionCommand( "START" );
                startButton.addActionListener( this );
                card1.add( startButton );

                Panel2 p2 = new Panel2();

                JPanel card2 = new JPanel();

                card2.add( p2 );

                cards = new JPanel( new CardLayout() );
                cards.add( card1, CARD1 );
                cards.add( card2, CARD2 );

                pane.add( Pane, BorderLayout.PAGE_END );
                pane.add( cards, BorderLayout.CENTER );
        }

        public void actionPerformed( ActionEvent ae )
        {
                if ( ae.getActionCommand().equals( "START" ) )
                {
                        CardLayout cl = ( CardLayout )( cards.getLayout() );
                        cl.show( cards, CARD2 );
                }
        }

        private static void createAndShowGUI()
        {
                JFrame frame = new JFrame( "Main Frame" );
                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation( JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE );

                Main1 m1 = new Main1();
                m1.addComponentToPane( frame.getContentPane() );

                frame.setSize( 500, 700 );
                frame.setVisible( true );
        }

        public static void main( String[] args )
        {
                javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater( new Runnable()
                {
                        public void run()
                        {
                                createAndShowGUI();
                        }
                } );
        }
}

class Panel1 extends JPanel implements ActionListener
{
        JComboBox gradeComboBox;
        JLabel variableLbl;

        Panel1()
        {
                setOpaque( true );
        
                setPreferredSize( new Dimension( 500, 500 ) );
                
                setLayout( new GridLayout( 3, 1, 5, 5 ) );
                        
                JLabel selectLbl = new JLabel( "Select Parameters", SwingConstants.CENTER );
                add( selectLbl );
        
                JLabel gradeLbl = new JLabel( "Grade:" );
        
                String gradeArray[] = { "First", "Second", "Third", "Fourth", "Fifth" };
                
                gradeComboBox = new JComboBox( gradeArray );
                gradeComboBox.addActionListener( this );
                
                JPanel gradePnl = new JPanel();

                gradePnl.add( gradeLbl );
                gradePnl.add( gradeComboBox );
        
                add( gradePnl );
        
                variableLbl = new JLabel( "" );
                add( variableLbl );
        }       
                        
        public void actionPerformed( ActionEvent ae )
        {                       
                String grade = ( String ) gradeComboBox.getSelectedItem();
                variableLbl.setText( "Grade: " + grade );
        }
}


class Panel2 extends JPanel
{
        JLabel variableLbl;

        Panel2()
        {
                setOpaque( true );

                setPreferredSize( new Dimension( 500, 500 ) );

                setLayout( new GridLayout( 2, 1, 5, 5 ) );

                JLabel selectLbl = new JLabel( "Parameters", SwingConstants.CENTER );
                add( selectLbl );

                JLabel gradeLbl = new JLabel( "Grade: " );
                //JLabel gradeLbl = new JLabel( "Grade: " + Panel1.grade );

                JPanel variablePnl = new JPanel();

                variablePnl.add( gradeLbl );

                add( variablePnl );
        }
}

Moderator Edit: Code tags added to aid readability

[Fubarable]

It's simply a matter of getter and setter methods and variable scope, that's all.

1) Give your Panel1 and Panel2 variables (p1 and p2) class scope so that they can be used in other methods of the class (in particular the actionPerformed method).

2) Give your Panel1 class a getter method that will allow users of this object to extract the string selected from the combobox.

3) Give your Panel2 class a setter method that allows users of this object to set the grade string.

4) Combine these guys in your control class (here your main class's actionPerformed method).

5) Please use code tags when posting code here (see my signature below for details).

e.g.,

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class Main1 extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
  JPanel cards;

  final static String CARD1 = "firstWindow";
  final static String CARD2 = "secondWindow";
  
  // give these variables class scope, so they can be 
  // used by other methods.
  private Panel1 p1 = new Panel1();
  private Panel2 p2 = new Panel2();

  public void addComponentToPane(Container pane) {
    JPanel Pane = new JPanel();

    //Panel1 p1 = new Panel1();

    JPanel card1 = new JPanel();
    card1.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
    card1.add(p1);

    JButton startButton = new JButton("START");
    startButton.setActionCommand("START");
    startButton.addActionListener(this);
    card1.add(startButton);

    //Panel2 p2 = new Panel2();

    JPanel card2 = new JPanel();
    card2.add(p2);
    cards = new JPanel(new CardLayout());
    cards.add(card1, CARD1);
    cards.add(card2, CARD2);

    pane.add(Pane, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
    pane.add(cards, BorderLayout.CENTER);
  }

  public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
    if (ae.getActionCommand().equals("START")) {
      CardLayout cl = (CardLayout) (cards.getLayout());
      cl.show(cards, CARD2);
      
      //use your p1 and p2 objects here:
      p2.setGrade(p1.getGradeSelected());
    }
  }

  private static void createAndShowGUI() {
    JFrame frame = new JFrame("Main Frame");
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

    Main1 m1 = new Main1();
    m1.addComponentToPane(frame.getContentPane());

    frame.setSize(500, 700);
    frame.setVisible(true);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
      public void run() {
        createAndShowGUI();
      }
    });
  }
}

class Panel1 extends JPanel implements ActionListener {
  JComboBox gradeComboBox;
  JLabel variableLbl;

  Panel1() {
    setOpaque(true);
    setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, 500));
    setLayout(new GridLayout(3, 1, 5, 5));
    JLabel selectLbl = new JLabel("Select Parameters",
        SwingConstants.CENTER);
    add(selectLbl);
    JLabel gradeLbl = new JLabel("Grade:");
    String gradeArray[] = { "First", "Second", "Third",
        "Fourth", "Fifth" };
    gradeComboBox = new JComboBox(gradeArray);
    gradeComboBox.addActionListener(this);
    JPanel gradePnl = new JPanel();
    gradePnl.add(gradeLbl);
    gradePnl.add(gradeComboBox);
    add(gradePnl);
    variableLbl = new JLabel("");
    add(variableLbl);
  }

  public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
    String grade = (String) gradeComboBox.getSelectedItem();
    variableLbl.setText("Grade: " + grade);
  }
  
  // add a "getter" method here
  public String getGradeSelected() {
    return (String)gradeComboBox.getSelectedItem();
  }
}

class Panel2 extends JPanel {
  private static final String GRADE = "Grade: ";
  private JLabel gradeLbl = new JLabel(GRADE);  

  Panel2() {
    setOpaque(true);
    setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, 500));
    setLayout(new GridLayout(2, 1, 5, 5));
    JLabel selectLbl = new JLabel("Parameters", SwingConstants.CENTER);
    add(selectLbl);
    JPanel variablePnl = new JPanel();
    variablePnl.add(gradeLbl);
    add(variablePnl);
  }
  
  // Give this class a public setter method 
  public void setGrade(String gradeStr) {
    gradeLbl.setText(GRADE + gradeStr);
  }
}

[newbie123]

Thanks for your quick reply. I'll give it a go, and let you know how it works.

This forum is great!