Error Passing Object through a constructor

[mpankhurst]

I am doing a small program that passes an object to a class for doing a basic score average. I am getting an error when passing the object through the construction. The error is:

JavaAssignment4.java:40: cannot find symbol
symbol : constructor TestScores(java.lang.Object)
location: class TestScores
TestScores myScores = new TestScores(ia);

The Code for the first file named JavaAssignment4.java is:

import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
import java.util.ArrayList;

public class JavaAssignment4
{
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		ArrayList scores = new ArrayList();
		String userInput = "";
		int lcv = 0;
		userInput = "";
		int choice = 0;
			while (userInput.length() == 0)
			{
				userInput = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please Choose one:\n1. Add New Score\n2. Get Average\n3. Exit");			
				try // validation try/catch
				{
					if (userInput.length() == 0)
					{
						
						JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Don't leave it blank.");
						userInput = "";
					}
				
					else
					{
						choice = Integer.parseInt(userInput);
						if(choice == 1)
						{
							scores.add(JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Enter the Score"));
							lcv +=1;
							userInput = "";

						}
						else if(choice == 2)
						{
							userInput = "";
							Object ia = scores.toArray();
							TestScores myScores = new TestScores(ia);
							
						}
						else if(choice == 3)
						{
							
						}
					}
				}
				catch(NumberFormatException e)
				{
					JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Please type in either 1 2 3 depending on your choice.");
					userInput = "";
				}
			}
	}
}

The Code for the second file named TestScores.java is:

import java.util.*;
public class TestScores
{
	
	public Object[] ia;
	public void TestScores(Object[] x)
	{
		ia = x;
		
	}
}

Any help on why I'm getting this error would be much appreciated.

[pbrockway2]

Java is very fussy about types.

You declared ia as Object, but the constructor only accepts Object[] arrays. So the compiler complains when you call the constructor.

Notice that you actually assigned an array to ia. That's quite legal because you can assign *any* reference type to an Object variable. But when it comes time to call the constructor the compiler won't be happy until you change ia and declare it to be an array.

[mpankhurst]

Ok I read your response and I thought I understood it. I did some google work to find the best way to convert an ArrayList to and Object[]. What follows is the code I'm using for choice 2. Unfortunately I'm doing something wrong as this still gets me the same error. Here is my my code for choice 2:

else if(choice == 2)
						{
							userInput = "";
							Object[] ia = new Object[scores.size()];
							scores.toArray(ia);
							TestScores myScores = new TestScores(ia);
							
						}

Is this the part that's wrong or did I not understand what you were trying to tell me?
Thanks for your help

[pbrockway2]

The same error? "cannot find symbol
symbol : constructor TestScores(java.lang.Object)"

That's weird given how you've declared ai. I was thinking more simply:

Object[] ia = scores.toArray();
TestScores myScores = new TestScores(ia);

Post the entire compiler message if there is one and I'll go and find a computer with a compiler.

[mpankhurst]

I put in your code (think I tried that before but it's what I'm using now) and I got the same error again:



I've been getting the warnings before I ever made the constructor. I know there from not putting the parsing into a try catch block. That wouldn't mess anything else up would it?

[pbrockway2]

That error message is different... Are you sure you didn"t make any changes to the other class?

[pbrockway2]

Arrgh!

import java.util.*;
public class TestScores
{
     
    public Object[] ia;
    public void TestScores(Object[] x)
    {
        ia = x;
         
    }
}

That "void" shouldn't be there. It's a constructor!

[mpankhurst]

Didn't need this post and didn't want to clutter solution

[mpankhurst]

omg... how did I miss that... hours of googling... dude thank you for being my second set of eyes.

[pbrockway2]

You're welcome but I didn't see it - thank Eclipse for being a third set!

Don't worry (unless you want to) about the warning. Your teacher should have told you to expect that. The code will run fine despite that. (google: java generics or the warning message)