Variable not visible in basic Java class

Question

I'm trying to build an ArrayList of Earthquake objects but Java is complaining about not being visible.

My Code:

import java.io.*;
import java.util.Arrays.*;

public class ObservatoryTest {
    private ArrayList <Earthquakes> listOfEarthquakes; //This list is not visible
    Earthquakes Quake1 = new Earthquakes(4.5,"cheese",1995);
    Earthquakes Quake2 = new Earthquakes(6.5,"fish",1945);
    Earthquakes Quake3 = new Earthquakes(10.5,"Chorizo",2015);

    public void buildList(Earthquakes... args){
        for(Earthquakes myEarthquake : args){
            listOfEarthquakes.add(myEarthquake);
        }

    }
}

My aim is to build a list of Earthquake objects. Could somebody tell me why and how to fix my code? Thanks

--------------edit--------------------

The error message is the type ArrayList is not visible however changing visibility modifier to public doesn't have any effect.

Complaining how, where? What's the exact compilation error? What do you think _not being visible_ means given that the field is `private`? — Sotirios Delimanolis, Oct 29 '15 at 17:11

Sotirios Delimanolis · Answer 1 · 2015-10-29T17:26:55.527

7

For some reason, you've used a type-import-on-demand declaration for nested member of Arrays

import java.util.Arrays.*;

In its current implementation, Arrays declares a private nested type named ArrayList. That's not visible to your code since it's private.

You meant to import java.util.ArrayList.

edited Oct 29 '15 at 17:26

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:20

Sotirios Delimanolis

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score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 29 '15 at 17:17

Missing the below import statement

 import java.util.ArrayList;

 public class ObservatoryTest {

 private ArrayList <Earthquakes> listOfEarthquakes; //This list is not visible
    Earthquakes Quake1 = new Earthquakes(4.5,"cheese",1995);
    Earthquakes Quake2 = new Earthquakes(6.5,"fish",1945);
    Earthquakes Quake3 = new Earthquakes(10.5,"Chorizo",2015);

    public void buildList(Earthquakes... args){
        for(Earthquakes myEarthquake : args){
            listOfEarthquakes.add(myEarthquake);
        }

    }

AlexWien · Answer 3 · 2015-10-29T17:24:06.043

1

You are missing the import statement for ArrayList

import java.util.ArrayList;

To solve such problems call the "Organize imports" from you SDE. e.g in Eclipse: Ctrl-Shift-O

edited Oct 29 '15 at 17:24

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:13

AlexWien

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how you know is not in the package? – Jordi Castilla Oct 29 '15 at 17:14

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:16

-1

You need to initialize the list before adding the elements to it !

listOfEarthquakes = new ArrayList<Earthquakes>();
listOfEarthquakes.add(myEarthquake);

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:16

kausDix75

36
5

By the way - when I had posted my answer, the "---edit---" part was not there - so it was not clear what the exact error was ! and anyways this list was not initialized anyways - at least in the posted code. So I'm a little surprised by the downvote ! – kausDix75 Oct 30 '15 at 17:05
I had not downvoted, However, if finally, even after an edit of the original question, the answer is wrong. It is ok that finally it is downvoted, because it is a wrong answer. You can remove the answer, then your reputation points, you lost, will be returned to you – AlexWien Nov 02 '15 at 14:19

Variable not visible in basic Java class

4 Answers4