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Problems with calling a method using an array

I'm relevantly new to Java and just started my first semi serious assignment. I'm confident most of my code is working, the only problem is because I've been using classes I can't seem to call a method which uses an array into my main class. Every other method I want to call seems to work. I wonder if anyone has any explanation or easy solution to this?
Thanks in advance for taking time looking into, really appreciate it!
import java.util.Scanner;
public class GeographyQuizMain
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
takeQuiz();
}
public static void takeQuiz(Question[][] questions)
{
int score = 0;
RandomNumber randomQuestion = new RandomNumber();
//user chooses catergory
int cat = pickCatergory();
//ask 10 questions
for(int i = 0; i < 10;)
{
Scanner answerChoice = new Scanner(System.in);
randomQuestion.dice();
int q = (randomQuestion.dice() - 1);
//checks to see if question as been asked before
if (!questions[cat][q].beenAsked)
{
questions[cat][q].beenAsked = true; //changes question status to beenAsked
System.out.println(questions[cat][q].promt);
String answer = answerChoice.nextLine();
System.out.println("\nYou picked: " + answer + "\nThe correct answer was: " + questions[cat][q].answer + "\n");
if(answer.equals(questions[cat][q].answer))
{
score++;
}
i++;
}
}
System.out.println("That is the end of the quiz!\n"
+ "You got " + score + "/10");
}

Your problem is with the call itself,
This line public static void takeQuiz(Question[][] questions) states that the method will accept a two dimensional array ([][]) of an object named Question.
On the other hand, your call - takeQuiz(); passes no array of such.
You should initialise an array of such to make this compile and pass it to the function. i.e.
Question[][] questionArray = GenerateQuestionArray(); //you should write this method
takeQuiz(questionArray);
Like you stated, it's clearly you're new to Java and I strongly suggest you to read the instructions and the information provided to you in class about that. I bet the details of Object initialisation, methods and arrays are covered there.

It seems that problem with your method call, in your method takeQuiz(); is taking 2 dimensional array for questions but at the calling time you are not providing that parameter so, compiler not able to found the method.
That's the problem.
try to use like this, this is simple an example for you. replace this with your actual values.
String[][] questions= new String[3][3];
takeQuiz(questions);
this will work.

You have called your method takeQuiz() without actually supplying its arguments Question[][] questions

Java text analysis program

The following requisites are those for the program I'm currently having an issue with:
The program must be able to open any text file specified by the user, and analyze the frequency of verbal ticks in the text. Since there are many different kinds of verbal ticks (such as "like", "uh", "um", "you know", etc) the program must ask the user what ticks to look for. A user can enter multiple ticks, separated by commas.
The program should output:
the total number of tics found in the text
the density of tics (proportion of all words in the text that are tics)
the frequency of each of the verbal tics
the percentage that each tic represents out of all the total number of tics
Here is my program:
public class TextfileHW2 {
// initiate(
public static int[] initiate(int[] values){
for (int z=0; z<keys.length; z++){
values[z] = 0;
}
return values;
processing(values);
}
// processing(values)
public static int[] processing(int[] valuez){
while (input.hasNext()){
String next = input.next();
totalwords++;
for (int x = 0; x<keys.length; x++){
if (next.toLowerCase().equals(keys[x])){
valuez[x]+=1;
}
}
return valuez;
output();
}
for (Integer u : valuez){
totalticks += u;
}
}
public static void output(){
System.out.println("Total number of tics :"+totalticks);
System.out.printf("Density of tics (in percent): %.2f \n", ((totalticks/totalwords)*100));
System.out.println(".........Tick Breakdown.......");
for (int z = 0; z<keys.length; z++){
System.out.println(keys[z] + " / "+ values[z]+" occurences /" + (values[z]*100/totalticks) + "% of all tics");
}
sc.close();
input.close();
}
public static void main(String[] args) throws FileNotFoundException {
static double totalwords = 0; // double so density (totalwords/totalticks) returned can be double
static int totalticks = 0;
System.out.println("What file would you like to open?");
static Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
static String files = sc.nextLine();
static Scanner input = new Scanner(new File(files));
System.out.println("What words would you like to search for? (please separate with a comma)");
static String ticks = sc.nextLine(), tics = ticks.toLowerCase();
static String[] keys = tics.split(",");
static int[] values = new int[keys.length];
initiate(values);
}
My program should be logically right as I wrote it and successfully ran it for a while last week, but the difference with this one (which doesn't work) is that I must use separate methods for each component of the analysis, which shouldn't be too difficult a task considering the program was working before So I naturally tried to split up my program such that I can call my first method (which I called initiate) then my 2nd and 3rd methods called processing and output.
First of all, what does static really mean? I remember my teacher saying that it represents a global variable which I can use anywhere in the program. As you can see I changed every variable to static to perhaps make my task easier.
Also, do I strictly need to use public static + type returned if I'm going to change something?
Let's say I want to change the values of an array (like I do in my program and use public static void) do I need to return something to actually change the values of the array or is it ok to use public static void?
If anyone also has any general pointers for what concerns my methods I would really appreciate it.

Your problem is in your initiate method:
return values;
processing(values);
Once you call return, your method stops. If you are using Eclipse (which I highly recommend), you should have gotten an error saying "Unreachable code," because there is simply no way for the program to execute your processing method.
I also saw this flaw in your output method.

First of all, what does static really mean? I remember my teacher
saying that it represents a global variable which I can use anywhere
in the program. As you can see I changed every variable to static to
perhaps make my task easier.
It depends on the context. There is a good overall description here. The meaning is different when applied to methods, fields, and classes. To say it makes variables "global" is a bit simplified.
Also, do I strictly need to use public static + type returned if I'm going to change something?
I'm a little confused about what you mean. A method declared as public static *return_type* has three separate, independent qualities:
public: It is accessible by any other class.
static: It does not require an instance of the class to function (see above link).
*return_type*: This is, of course, the return type.
These properties aren't really related to "changing something". Unless I misunderstood your question, the answer is: No, the method specifiers and return type have no impact on its ability to change something with the exception that static methods cannot modify non-static fields or call non-static methods of this (there is no this in static methods).
Let's say I want to change the values of an array (like I do in my program and use public static void) do I need to return something to actually change the values of the array or is it ok to use public static void?
What you do in the function is entirely independent of the access specifier and static-ness of it (with the above-mentioned exception that this does not exist in static methods). If your function has any side-effects like changing the values in an array (or any values for that matter), then it does it regardless of public, or static, or its return type.
Check out the More on Classes section of the official language tutorial. It is concise and well-written and should help complete your understanding of the general concepts you're asking about. Check out some of the other tutorials there as well if you'd like.

Changing a variable though a module in a loop (java)

So I am trying to write a simple program for my Java class and I have asked the teacher for help however, this is a distance learning class and am not getting much help from that direction. So here I am.
The problem we have been asked to solve is to create a program that will
(1) ask the user for a number ,
(2) find the sum of all user defined numbers ,
(3) find the average of these numbers ,
(4) then out put them back to the user.
I use the numbers not only to line through things I have finished but because they must be separate modules to be called.
How can i get the userNum variable to update durring the while statments. Currently they are not. OR is there a simpler way to do this that im overlooking. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
public class P2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int userNumCount = 1;
double userNum = input();
double userSum = sum(userNum);
double userAverage = average(userSum, userNumCount);
sum(userNum);
while (userNum != 0 && sum(userNum) <= 100){
++userNumCount;
output(userSum, userAverage);
input();
sum(userNum);
average(userSum, userNumCount);
}//end else
while (userNum != 0 && sum(userNum) >=100){
++userNumCount;
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (null, "Warning, your sum is currently over 100!!!!!");
output(sum(userNum), userAverage);
input();
sum(userNum);
average(userSum, userNumCount);
}//end else
if (input() == 0){
output(userSum, userAverage);
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (null, "Thank you for using this program have a nice day.");
}//end else if
}//end main module
public static double input(){
String userNumString;
userNumString = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please enter your number or input 0 to end the program.");
double userInput = Double.parseDouble (userNumString);
return userInput;
}//end input module
public static double sum(double userNum){
double userSum =+userNum;
return userSum;
}//end sum module
public static double average (double userSum, int userNumCount){
double userAverage = userSum/userNumCount;
return userAverage;
}//end average module
public static void output (double userSum, double userAverage){
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (null, "The sum of the numbers input so far is: " + userSum + ". And the Average is " + userAverage + "." );
}//end output module
}//end class

All of the values returned from methods in your main are just returning their values to nothing. When you pass variables to a function, they are passed by value. For example:
public void main(String args[]){
int f = 5;
doSomething(f);
System.out.println(f);
}
public int doSomething(int i){
i+=1;
return i;
}
The value returned by doSomething is 6, but the program outputs 5. When you call a function the int i is recreated independently of f. As of now, your program is just throwing those values away and keeping the old ones.
Also you have the variables in main called userSum, and userAverage, and in sum and average you redefine these in a different scope. When code flow comes into sum and average it creates new variables for that method. If you want these values to be the same you need to make them static, by defining them outside of your main method and declaring them static.
I think the problem you might be struggling with is scope. Pretty much every time you have an opening bracket the program changes scope. When a block is closed (when there is a closing bracket}, the scope of the variables ends, ie. they don't exist anymore. For example:
class someClass
{
//Block 0
static int staticNum = 0;
public static main(String args[])
{
//Block 1
int level1 = 0;
if(true)
{
//Block 2
int level2 = 0;
} else {
//Block 3
level1++; //ok because the level1 is accessible from here
staticNum++; //ok because staticNum is static
}
//resume block 1
level2++; //not ok because level2 was in a different scope
doSomething(level1)
}
public static void doSomething(int i){
//Block 5
int level1 = 0; //different than the one in the main method
i++; //ok but once execution leaves i wont exist anymore
staticNum++; //ok because staticNum is static and exists in the class's scope
level1++; //not ok because level1 is not defined for this scope
}
}
While execution is in a block, it can access any variable in blocks 'above' it in nesting level. Looking at the above, in Block 2 and 3 you can access anything in block 1 or block 0. Block 3 doesn't have access to the variables in block 2 because they are out of scope of one another, because when a block closes all variables instantiated in that block are freed. Block 5 has a completely different scope than block 1,2 and 3.
Block 0 is special because it is associated with the class. Anything outside of method bodies declared static are class wide variables, as in you can access it where ever you have access to the class. You would use something like ClassName.staticNum to access it in another class. Also when you access it inside of the class, any methods that you use the static values in need to be declared static as well.
Anything not declared static in the class body is an instance variable. It is associated with an instances of the class, these instances called objects. A class defines the template of an object. For example, lets say we have two objects of type Computer. The class Computer defines what variables each individual computer has(instance variables), and what variables every computer shares(static variables). So if I have Computer A with instance variables mouse and keyboard, it is completely different from another Computer B instance variables mouse and keyboard, but they can share a static variable called Computer.innernette.

This is incorrect.
public static double sum(double userNum){
double userSum =+userNum;
return userSum;
}
In a basic pseudo-language this is happening each time this method is called
receive userNum
create userSum
set userSum = 0
add userNum to userSum
give userSum
each time the method will return the value it is given, not the running total I think you are expecting.
If you have two variables declared with the same name, they are still different. What you want to do is refer to the same variable, to do this you need to have the references in the scope where the variable is declared.
to get the running total
public class P2 {
public static double userSum = 0;
//because this is a public member it's scope is global i.e. you can refer to it anywhere.
...
public static void main(String[] args) {
...
/* do not declare userSum here.
if you do any reference to userSum will use the local variable
not the global variable.
double userSum = 0; <-- declare local variable it's scope is until the
end of this method nothing outside the method
can see it but you can pass it as a parameter
userSum = 1; <-- local variable is set to 1
P2.userSum = 2; <-- local variable is set to 1 global is set to 2
*/
input();// for this the input method is called and returns a value,
// but you haven't said to put it anywhere so java will throw it away
// all that effort for nothing.
userNum = input(); // in this case it will put the new value in userNum.
}
public static double sum(double userNum){
userSum =+userNum; // do not declare userSum use it from the class context
return userSum;
}
...
}
for further reference scope

For Loop Not Terminating

I'm trying to get back into Java - it's been about 5 years since I studied the basics and I've been lost in the .Net world since.
I'm trying to create a student class below, however the for loop for reading in the integers into the array gets stuck when the program runs.
From my previous knowledge, and from research, the loop seems to be constructed properly and I can't seem to figure out where it's going wrong.
I'm sure it's something silly - as always but I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction? :)
import java.util.*;
import acm.io.*;
public class Student {
// instance variables
private int studNumber; //Must be between (and including) 0 and 99999999. If input value invalid default to 0.
private String studName;
private int marks[];
/*
* Constructor Student Class
*/
public Student(int studNumber, String StudName, int marks[]) {
// initialise instance variables
if (studNumber >=0 && studNumber<= 99999999) {
this.studNumber= studNumber;
} else {
this.studNumber = 0; //default value
}
this.studName= StudName; // no validation
this.marks = marks;
IOConsole console = new IOConsole();
for (int i = 0; i <= 6; i++) {
marks[i] = console.readInt();
}
}
}

I think that the problem lies here:
for (int i = 0; i <= 6; i++)
{
marks[i] = console.readInt();
}
The only instance where I found a reference to IOConsole was here and it does not seem to be something which is part of the standard Java framework.
If you just need to scan numbers from console, you can use the Scanner class and the use the nextInt() method like below:
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
for (int i = 0; i <= 6; i++)
{
marks[i] = input.nextInt();
}

The loop seems correct. Is it possible the console.readInt() call is blocking, which keeps you stuck in the loop (the IOConsole class is not part of the standard JDK, and I am not familiar with it)

readInt() is waiting for user input
from http://jtf.acm.org/javadoc/student/acm/io/IOConsole.html#readInt%28%29:
Reads and returns an integer value from the user

The problem is with console.readInt(), where another non-stop loop is executing or some other problem with that method

I believe the problem lies in the readInt() part. It's unusual to read input from the Console in a constructor for initializing the attributes, delegate that task to another part of your code and move it outside the constructor.

beginner java, help me fix my program?

I am trying to make a calculator for college gpa's. I cut out all like 20 if statements that just say what each letter grade is. I fixed my first program for anybody looking at this again. The program now works, but regardless of the letters i type in the gpa it returns is a 2.0 . If anybody sees anything wrong it would be very much appreciated...again. Thanks
import java.util.Scanner;
public class universityGPA {
public static void main(String args[]){
int classes = 4;
int units[] = {3, 2, 4, 4};
double[] grade = new double[4];
double[] value= new double[4];
int counter = 0;
double total = 0;
double gpa;
String letter;
while(classes > counter){
Scanner gradeObject = new Scanner(System.in);
letter = gradeObject.next();
if(letter.equalsIgnoreCase("A+") || letter.equalsIgnoreCase("A")){
grade[counter] = 4;
}
if(letter.equalsIgnoreCase("F")){
grade[counter] = 0;
}
value[counter] = grade[counter] * units[counter];
counter++;
}
for(int i = 0; i < classes; i++ ){
total += value[i];
}
gpa = total/classes;
System.out.println("You gpa is " +gpa);
}
}

You forgot to initialize grade. The NullPointerException is telling you that grade is null. The exception is thrown the first time you try to use grade, in the statment grade[counter] = 4;. Allocate as much space as you need with new.

Initialization of grade can be done statically as well dynamically:
double []grade = new double[4];
or
double []grade = new double[classes];
Do the same for value as well.

Here are a few pointers for cleaning up your code:
Try to be more consistent with your formatting. Make sure everything is properly indented and that you don't have lingering spaces at the beginnings or endings of lines (line 18).
You should declare variables as close to the first spot you use them as possible. This, along with making your code much more readable, minimizes the scope. For instance, on line 18, you initialize letter, but it is never used outside the scope of the while statement. You should declare the variable right there, along with the initializer (String letter = gradeObject.next()).
Declaring arrays in the type name[] form is discouraged. It is recommended to use the type[] name form instead.
Try to separate your program into distinguished sections. For instance, for this program, you can clearly see a few steps are involved. Namely, you first must grab some input, then parse it, then calculate the return value. These sections can be factored out into separate methods to clean up the code and promote reuse. While it may not seem to yield many benefits for such a simple program, once you start working on larger problems this organization will be absolutely mandatory.

NullPointerException means you are trying to access something that does not exist.
Since your grade[] is null, accessing it on line 21 by grade[counter] actually means you are accessing something that has yet to be created.
You need to initialize the array, so it actually has an instance.