User defined Method

[MallardsReach]

Looked at many examples of Method and they all seem easy until I start to place them in my code. No matter where I insert the method or how I rewrite it I still get a problem. Below is my Method followed by my code. What am I not doing?

   void getSecond(int secondNum){
    displayTable.setText("\\n"); //Clear the displayTable 
    int firstNum, answerNum;
        for (firstNum = 1; firstNum <=12; firstNum ++){
            answerNum = firstNum \* secondNum;
            displayTable.append(firstNum + " x " + secondNum + " = " + answerNum +"\\n");
         }

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Font;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.border.Border;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;

public class MyTables
{

public static void main(String\[\] args) 
{
	JFrame frame = new JFrame("Tables"); // Creating instance of JFrame
    frame.setSize(800, 600); // Setting the width and height of frame
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT\_ON\_CLOSE); 
	JPanel panel = new JPanel(); //Creating panel. Inside panels we can add textfields, buttons and other components.
	panel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.RED));
    frame.add(panel); // Add panel to frame
    placeComponents(panel);  //Call user defined method for adding components to the panel.
	frame.setVisible(true); // Setting the frame visibility to true
}

private static void placeComponents(JPanel panel) 
{
		panel.setLayout(null);
		JTextArea displayTable = new JTextArea("Text Area");
		displayTable.setEditable(false);
		displayTable.setColumns(20);
		displayTable.setFont(new Font("Times New Roman", 1, 14));
		displayTable.setLineWrap(true);
		displayTable.setRows(14);
		displayTable.setWrapStyleWord(true);
		displayTable.setBounds(200,20,230,260); 
		displayTable.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.GREEN));
		displayTable.setMaximumSize(new java.awt.Dimension(5, 22));
		panel.add(displayTable);
		
		JLabel userLabel = new JLabel("Enter a Number");  // Creating JLabel
		userLabel.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
		userLabel.setFont(new Font("Verdana", Font.ITALIC, 16)); //set font
		userLabel.setBounds(10,20,180,25); // Specifies the location and size of component. (x,y,x1,y1)
		userLabel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLUE));	
		panel.add(userLabel); // Add Label

[Lost User]

MallardsReach wrote:

I still get a problem.

That is one of the most common reports that we see here, and also the most useless. Unless you tell us exactly what the problem is (including exact error messages), and where it occurs, then we can do very little. Please try to help us to help you.

[MallardsReach]

Sorry Richard, honestly thought I had given the error. If I place the code here

public class MyTables
{
void getSecond(int secondNum){
displayTable.setText("\n"); //Clear the displayTable
int firstNum, answerNum;
for (firstNum = 1; firstNum <=12; firstNum ++){
answerNum = firstNum * secondNum;
displayTable.append(firstNum + " x " + secondNum + " = " + answerNum +"\n");
}
public static void main(String[] args)

I get this message

Quote:

c:\Java>javac MyTables.java MyTables.java:18: error: illegal start of expression public static void main(String[] args) ^ 1 error

If I put it at the end

loginButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
//getSecond(6);
displayTable.setText("Button Pressed");
}
void getSecond(int secondNum){
displayTable.setText("\n"); //Clear the displayTable
int firstNum, answerNum;
for (firstNum = 1; firstNum <=12; firstNum ++){
answerNum = firstNum * secondNum;
displayTable.append(firstNum + " x " + secondNum + " = " + answerNum +"\n");
}

	});
}		

}

I get 3 error messages

Quote:

c:\Java>javac MyTables.java MyTables.java:69: error: illegal start of type }); ^ MyTables.java:70: error: ')' expected } ^ MyTables.java:71: error: reached end of file while parsing } ^ 3 errors

[Lost User]

Look at the code, it has two opening brace characters ({), one for the method, and one for the for loop. But it only has one closing brace, for the for loop. So you just need to add the one that closes the method block.

[MallardsReach]

That's done it, although I am annoyed as I knew the curly bracket was missing but when I added it I got different errors. After your reply I removed the method placed it in a new page and added the bracket so that it had 2 opening and 2 closing, placed it back in my project and it worked. I do remember that every opening ( or { had to have a matching one closing. Can now carry on with the project. Thank you

[Lost User]

The thing to remember is when you start any code block is to add the braces first. You can then fill in the actual code afterwards:

int someMethod(int parameter)
{
// TODO: the details must be added here
}
int someOtherMethod(int parameter)
{
while (some expression)
{
// TODO: more details required
}
if (some boolean expression
{
// TODO: check some stuff
}
}

But always remember, making mistakes is how we all learned ...

[MallardsReach]

Thanks Richard that is a good piece of advice that I will remember.

But always remember, making mistakes is how we all learned ...

And this gives me some encouragement as it seems I'm making quite a few.