Parameter help/question

[CuppaCoffee]

Hi, I have a quick question and need help with a certain issue with parameters..

Now I still consider myself learning and getting used to programming, and I don't quite understand the great use/function of parameters.. and when I use it in this program I'm working on, I get a certain error. I'm following a few lines of code from this website and it shows this:

public void setX(int x)
  {
    this.xPos = x;
  }
  
  public void setY(int y)
  {
    this.yPos = y;
  }
  
  public void draw (Graphics2D g2)
  {
    
    if (useImage == false)
    {
      g2.setColor(c);
      g2.fill(new Ellipse2D.Double(xPos, yPos, ballWidth, ballHeight));
    }
    else
    {
      g2.drawImage(getImage(), x, y, null);
    }
    
  }
  
  public void move()
  {
    this.x += 1;
    this.y += 2;
  }
  
  public void move(int xDir, int yDir)
  {
    this.x += xDir;
    this.y += yDir;
  }

I'm only cutting out a bit of the whole program because this is the only issue I'm having. Two void methods I'm using is setX(int x) and setY(int y). But when I try to use them in other methods, I get an error saying "x cannot be resolved as a variable" and "y cannot be resolved as a variable". Is there any reason why it's saying this? Because the website I'm using wrote it exactly like that and it works for them, apparently. I'd also like to know a solution to this problem without changing the variables for the 3 methods after SetX/setY. One solution I had was changing the variables for those three methods from x/y to xPos/yPos (field variable used in the program) which generally works with the program, but as I said, I'm trying to learn how to use parameters outside of their methods so I want to find a solution sticking with x and y.

[Norm]

when I try to use them in other methods, I get an error

How are you compiling the program?
Please post the full text of the error message. You edited version is leaving out information.
Here is a sample:

TestSorts.java:138: cannot find symbol
symbol  : variable var
location: class TestSorts
         var = 2;
         ^

[JosAH]

The only peculiarity I see is in line #21: where do the variables x and y come from?

kind regards,

Jos

[CuppaCoffee]

How are you compiling the program?
Please post the full text of the error message. You edited version is leaving out information.
Here is a sample:

TestSorts.java:138: cannot find symbol
symbol  : variable var
location: class TestSorts
         var = 2;
         ^

I simply press the Compile button at the top.. I'm getting 6 errors, all of them that say the same thing. "x cannot be resolved as a variable" and "y cannot be resolved as a variable" on lines 21, 28, 29, 34, and 35.

The only peculiarity I see is in line #21: where do the variables x and y come from?

kind regards,

Jos

The variables x and y come from lines 1 and 8. They're from parameters from those two methods.

[Fubarable]

The variables x and y come from lines 1 and 8. They're from parameters from those two methods.

Correct, and since they are parameters, they are only visible within the method that holds them and no where else. Do you have a similar variable in the class that has a different name, one that holds the values from the two methods that you mention above?

[Norm]

You need to look at the concept of "scope" for the definitions of variables. The definition of a variable in a program is limited to be within the enclosing {}s. Outside of the enclosing {}s the variable is NOT defined.
The variable defined on line 1 is NOT defined past line 4. It is out of scope hence is not known, on line 21

[CuppaCoffee]

I was thinking that too, I just wanted to make sure there was absolutely no way to use those variables outside of their methods. Alright then, now that I know it's true, it must be a mistake in the code. I'll simply go back to replacing those variables with xPos and yPos. Thanks for the help.