Java Split() Method not being identified

Question

I've got to use the method split() as in the following code, but the compiler throws an error:

String defA1[] = new str1.split(" ");

The error thrown says:

error: package str1 does not exist
       String defA2[] = new str1.split(" ");
                                ^

Obviously it is not a package, str1 is a string previously defined that comes as an argument of a method, as following:

public static int calculateLevenshteinDistance(String str1, String str2) { ... }

I am also importing the package java.lang

import java.lang.*;

and even explicitly

import java.lang.String;

Please do not suggest StringTokenizer, I want to know why this is not working.

Also you could help me with something else. I tried importing the package as static just wondering if that could fix it:

import static java.lang.*;

But the compiler would say:

error: cannot find symbol
            import static java.lang.*;
                              ^

It only happens when I add "static" to the import and it happens with any static import I dont know why.

I am using the JVM to compile.

Answer 1

Your syntax is wrong. You should just use String defA1[] = str1.split(" ");. The new keyword is meant to call a class constructor and create a new instance of the class. More info: Oracle Java Tutorial: Creating Objects

By the way, Java compiler already adds import java.lang.* by you, no need to add a static import to this package.

One more note, the JVM (the JRE) is not meant to compile the code, just to run it. You compile Java code using the Java SDK. More info: What is the difference between JDK and JRE?

Additional: If you want to know why the compiler gives you the message error package str1 does not exist

The compiler is trying to read this line

new str1.split(" ");

as Create a new instance of the class split that is inside the str1 package and send a String parameter to the constructor with value " ". This is obviously wrong.

Answer 2

use this

String defA1[] = str1.split(" ");

No need of new operator

Answer 3

It should be :

String defA2[] = str1.split(" ");