How to add an ArrayList at the class level?

Question

I'm attempting to make a DnD character generator, and for part of that I need to have a list of stats that are editable by other methods, so I am attempting to add it at the class level. My current code is:

public class CharacterCreator extends Application
{
    ArrayList<String> stats = new ArrayList<String>();

        stats.add("STR");
        stats.add("DEX");
        stats.add("CON");
        stats.add("INT");
        stats.add("WIS");
        stats.add("CHA");

public void start(Stage primaryStage)
{

But when I try to run it, I get a "identifier expected" error in on every 'add' line.

You can't run statements outside a method. Move them to the constructor. — shmosel, Jun 01 '18 at 23:22

0xCursor · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-04T14:28:19.300

5

You can initialize the ArrayList like this:

ArrayList<String> stats = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList("STR", "DEX"));

as is shown in this answer. Or, just put the add calls inside a method or constructor like this:

ArrayList<String> stats = new ArrayList<>();

// Adding to ArrayList inside a constructor
public CharacterCreator()
{
    stats.add("STR");
    stats.add("DEX");
}

edited Oct 04 '18 at 14:28

answered Jun 01 '18 at 23:27

0xCursor

2,242
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Robby Cornelissen · Answer 2 · 2018-06-02T00:31:33.627

You cannot have bare statements like that in the class body. You need to populate the array in a method, constructor or initialization block:

public class CharacterCreator extends Application{
    ArrayList<String> stats;

    public CharacterCreator() {
         stats = new ArrayList<String>();
         stats.add("STR");
         stats.add("DEX");
         stats.add("CON");
         stats.add("INT");
         stats.add("WIS");
         stats.add("CHA");
    }
}

If you want the stats to be defined on the class level instead of the object level, you'll need to add a static initialization block:

public class CharacterCreator extends Application{
    static ArrayList<String> stats;

    static {
         stats = new ArrayList<String>();
         stats.add("STR");
         stats.add("DEX");
         stats.add("CON");
         stats.add("INT");
         stats.add("WIS");
         stats.add("CHA");
    }
}

I think OP is looking for static-block initialization as `class level` is mentioned — Shubhendu Pramanik, Jun 01 '18 at 23:24

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 01 '18 at 23:32

2

What about initializing block?

public class CharacterCreator extends Application {
    public ArrayList<String> stats = new ArrayList<String>();
    {
       stats.add("STR");
       stats.add("DEX");
       stats.add("CON");
       stats.add("INT");
       stats.add("WIS");
       stats.add("CHA");
    }
}

answered Jun 01 '18 at 23:32

Peteef

377
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10

Oops, sorry Mr's up! I'm too late :) – Peteef Jun 01 '18 at 23:33

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 01 '18 at 23:26

0

as @shmosel just said you can't run statements outside a method. you can create an initializer method and call it in the constructor or move instructions into the constructor. add method is considered as unknown and so can't be resolved

answered Jun 01 '18 at 23:26

Gratien Asimbahwe

1,606
4
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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 01 '18 at 23:26

You can not call add() method while declaration of class. Use static block or call method in constructor.

public class CharacterCreator extends Application {

    ArrayList<String> stats = new ArrayList<String>();

    public CharacterCreator() {
        stats.add("STR");
        stats.add("DEX");
        stats.add("CON");
        stats.add("INT");
        stats.add("WIS");
        stats.add("CHA");
    }

    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {

    }
}

How to add an ArrayList at the class level?

5 Answers5