An Error with Calling another Method within another method

Question

Hi so im trying to do this pig latin code in which the first letter is deleted from a words and sent to the end of the word while adding an "ay" to the end result. I have finished all my code in which it should output the right result except my problem is with actually outputting the code. I get an error message right after the user inputs the sentence.

Here is my code:

package piglatin;

  import java.util.Scanner;

  public class PigLatinTest {
 public  static String str;
 public static String[] words;

 public static String[] printLatinWords()
 {
     System.out.println("Enter a Sentence: ");
       Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
       str = scanner.nextLine();
       words = str.split(" ");
       //System.out.println(words);
       return words;
 }

 public static String[] printPigLatinWords() 
 {
    for (int i = 0; i < words.length; i++) {
        char firstLetter = words[i].charAt(0);
        words[i] = words[i].substring(1);
        words[i] = words[i] + firstLetter + "ay";
        //System.out.println(words[i]);
        //If you want the words to be in the same line, then this could help                  instead of System.out.println:
        System.out.print(words[i] + " ");
    }
    return words;

 }

public static void main(String[] args) 
{
    words = printLatinWords();
}

  }

  /*
   Enter a Sentence: 
    Hello from the other side 
     */

Answer 1

You have static members and you shadow them with local variables. You are setting the values of the local variables, while your static members remain uninitialized. Suggestion:

public static String[] printLatinWords()
{
    System.out.println("Enter a Sentence: ");
      Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
      str = scanner.nextLine();
      words = str.split(" ");
      //System.out.println(words);
      return words;
}

Of course, words must be an array instead of a String then:

public static String[] words;

EDIT:

Since you have an array of String items, you need to iterate it:

public static String[] printPigLatinWords() 
{
   for (int i = 0; i < words.length; i++) {
       char firstLetter = words[i].charAt(0);
       words[i] = words[i].substring(1);
       words[i] = words[i] + firstLetter + "ay";
       System.out.println(words[i]);
       //If you want the words to be in the same line, then this could help instead of System.out.println:
       //System.out.print(words[i] + " ");
   }
   return words;

}

EDIT2:

main method suggestion:

public static void main(String[] args) 
{
    printLatinWords();
    printPigLatinWords();
}

Answer 2

Assuming the error is what I think it is, you are not setting your public static variables anywhere (neither str nor words). Rather, you are setting local variables in your printLatinWords method.

I suggest you do one of two things:

• Get rid of the local variables in that method where they have the same name as the global variables, or
• Pass arguments to your methods and make use of their return values.

Answer 3

try

inside your main() method

words = printLatinWords();

inside you printPigLatinWords() method

String word = words[0];
char firstLetter = word.charAt(0);
   word = word.substring(1);
   word = words[0] + firstLetter + "ay";
   return word;