Creating a list with objects

[thine_iniquity]

class DeckOfCards{

	private List cards;
	
	public DeckOfCards(){
		Card ace_Spades = new Card("Spades","Ace",11);
		Card two_Spades = new Card("Spades","Two",2);
		Card three_Spades = new Card("Spades","three",3);
		Card four_Spades = new Card("Spades","four",4);
		Card five_Spades = new Card("Spades","five",5);
		Card six_Spades = new Card("Spades","six",6);
		Card seven_Spades = new Card("Spades","seven",7);
		Card eight_Spades = new Card("Spades","eight",8);
		Card nine_Spades = new Card("Spades","nine",9);
		Card ten_Spades = new Card("Spades","ten",10);
		Card jack_Spades = new Card("Spades","jack",10);
		Card queen_Spades = new Card("Spades","queen",10);
		Card king_Spades = new Card("Spades","king",10);
	
	
	}
	
	List cards = new List();
	
	cards.add(ace_Spades);

}

I am trying to add each object or "element" to a list. Using the java list class. The goal is to add each to a list, and then shuffle the list latter on in a method. I am making a card game..

How would I go about adding each element to a list? To build my

[sunde887]

The add method is how you add to a list, I suggest you have the constrctor make an instance of the list. Then loop 52 times adding a new card each time. It may be helpful to have a card constructor which takes a single int as an argument and assigns the proper rank and suit based on the number(this can be done with % and /)

[thine_iniquity]

class Card{

private String suite;
private String type;
private int value;

public Card(String cardSuite, String cardType, int cardValue){
cardSuite = suite;
cardType = type;
cardValue = value;
}
}

That is my card class.. Can you give me an example of the add method? I am not familiar with the List class

[thine_iniquity]

I'm basically trying to add each card that has been instantiated into an List. I guess the correct term would be to add those to an Array Element List..

I tried

ArrayList cardList = new ArrayList();

cardList.add(ace_Spades);

not working

DeckOfCards.java:67: <identifier> expected
cardList.add(ace_Spades);

[DarrylBurke]

Executable code, such as cardList.add(...) has to be inside a method, constructor or initializer block. It can't be executed in the class body, outside of any of the above.

db

[thine_iniquity]

DUH! Thank you DB. It compiled successfully but gave me a note:

Note: DeckOfCards.java uses unchecked or unsafe operations.
Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.

What is the meaning of this?

[sunde887]

This means you didn't use generics. Note: it's a warning, not an error. Technically it can run, but should be done better. Here is an example of employees and a compony to demonstrate arrayList.

class Employee{
  private int id;
  private int salary;
  public Employee(int id){
    this.id = id;
    this.salary = id * 10;
  }
}
public class Company{
  private ArrayList<Employee> employees = new ArrayList<Employee>(); //note the generics in the <>, it tells the list that it contains the type inside the <>
  public Company(int size){
    for(int i = 0; i < size; i++){
      Employee e = new Employee(i + 1);
      employees.add(e);
    }
  }
}

This code doesn't do much that's useful and is really just the beginning of a classes design. However, it shows how to add items to a list, and it shows generics as well.

It would be really helpful to have another constructor in the card class that will take a single number and create each card like this

public class Deck{
  //declare arraylist
  public Deck(){
    for(int i = 0, i < 52; i++){
      Card c = new Card(i + 1);
      ArrayList.add(c);
    }
  }
}