Error in Code: Non-static method cannot be referenced from a static context

Hey I am new to java and am in need of some help. Could you tell me why i am getting this error?

"non-static method reverse(java.lang.String) cannot be referenced from a static context"

Code:

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import java.util.Scanner;

public class Reverse
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
        String input = keyboard.next();
        System.out.println(reverse(input));
    }

    public String reverse(String str)
    {

            if ((null == str) || (str.length()  <= 1)) {
                return str;
            }
            return reverse(str.substring(1)) + str.charAt(0);
    }
}

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Non-static methods belong to an instance of the class not to the class itself. If you want to call the method then you need to create an instance first.

So if my file was called ReverseTest.Java I would add the line ReverseTest rev = new ReverseTest(); to my code. And then change println to System.out.println(rev.reverse(input));

Is that what you are saying to do?

(the file *has* to be called Reverse.java)

You could try that and find out if it's effective. Or change reverse() to be static.

Did you try changing your code, compiling and running? It would have been much quicker than asking here.

What happened when you tried it?

db

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pbrockway2

Or change reverse() to be static.

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Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

I meant Reverse.java I was thinking of another file in the package I had. But I did change it, I was just asking because I saw that it worked, but wasn't sure if it was correct. I know in programming it might work but might also be the wrong approach to use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Junky

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

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Whyever not? It's a utility method that doesn't depend in any way on the state of the instance.

Now if the Reverse class were to contain a String member set in the constructor, and the reverse() method didn't take a parameter but instead returned the reverse of that String, that would be a case for not making the method static.

db

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DarrylBurke

Whyever not?

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The non-staitc/static error is seen a lot on fora and most often OP solves the problem by adding the static keyword. Ok, it might make sense in some cases but in others it doesn't. By offering that as a solution noobs will then take it as a green light to make everything static. This has 2 disadvantages: 1 they do not learn nor understand the difference and 2 they totally abandon the OO concept. Once someone gets into a bad habit it is hard to break.