Reference an array so it can be accessed

[DGates]

Hi,
I have set up several arrays so that I can import text from a file which is tab delimited. I have this working fine in the main() method, meaning I can call any of the array elements and print them out to the console.
However, I want to be able to work on this data, i.e. search all unique things which have a given attribute, which I would do based on user selection. Therefore I have to do this in another method. I am fine for the logic of doing this. But for the life of me don't know how to reference the array I have setup.

To elaborate, when I want to print out to the console in the main method I can simply do the following:
System.out.println(x[16]); and this will print out the 16th element in the array. But when I try and do this in another method. The IDE gives me a 'cannot find symbol' error.

Can anyone suggest how i can resolve this.?
I have read that perhaps I have to store a reference to the array in a variable, but i'm not sure what this means.

Any help will be appreciated,
Thanks,
Dan

[mwr1976]

First x[16] doesn't access the 16th element of the array. Arrays are zero based so x[16] is the 17th element in the array. You should post your code, otherwise every response will just be conjecture. My best guess is your array is local only to your main method. You need to declare the array in a way to give your method access to it or you need to pass it as a parameter to this "other" method.

hope this helps

[DGates]

I have included my code below:
As you can see in the main method, I have declared my arrays, and filled them with strings from the text file.
The problem is that if I want to access them in other methods, for instance if i wanted to populate a jList. Or if I wanted to calculate something based on an ActionEvent, which would be a separate method. I don't know how to access them.

public static void main(String args[]) {
        
    
        String [] a = new String [100];
        String [] b = new String [100];
        String [] c = new String [100];
        String [] d = new String[100];
        String [] e = new String[100];
        String[] f = new String[100];
        String [] g = new String [100];
        String[] h = new String[100];
        String[] i = new String[100];
        String[] j = new String[100];
        String[] k = new String[100];
        String[] l = new String[100];
        String[] m = new String [100]; 

        String [] input = new String [17];
        File file = new File("Data.txt");

        int line = 0;
        
        
    try {     
           Scanner in = new Scanner(file);
           
           in.useDelimiter("\\t|\\n");
        int i;
        
         for (line =0; line<17; line++){
            
             for (i=0; i < 13; i++) {
                    input[i] = in.next();
                    //System.out.println(input[i]);
             }

                    a [line] = input [0];
                    b [line] = input [1];
                    c [line] = input [2]; 
                    d [line] = input [3];
                    e [line] = input [4];
                    f [line] = input [5];
                    g [line] = input [6];
                    h [line] = input [7];
                    i [line] = input [8];
                    j [line] = input [9];
                    k [line] = input [10];
                    l [line] = input [11];
                    m [line] = input [12];
                
            
        }
    }
       catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
           System.out.println("No File");
            e.printStackTrace();
       }
       catch (NumberFormatException nfe){
           System.out.println("A number is of wrong type");
           nfe.getCause();
}

                System.out.println(g[5]);

[mwr1976]

I would say given the set-up of your code. I would pass the array you want to process in the method as a parameter of that method.

[DGates]

Okay, and how would I go about doing that?

[DarrylBurke]

The same way as you pass a parameter to any method. You include the parameter type in the method signature, and include the parameter value in the method invocation.

db