Error compiling basic java code

Question

New to java. Practicing coding by following a book.

Heres my code:

class Motorcycle {


    //Three instance variables - make and color are strings. while a boolean refers to TRUE OR FLASE(in this case off or on)
    String make;
    String color;
    boolean engineState;

    void startEngine() {
        if (engineState == true)
            System.out.print("The engine is already on.");
        else {
            engineState = true;
            System.out.print("The engine is now on.");

        }

    void showAtts() {
        System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
        if (engineState ==true)
            System.out.print("The engine is on.");
        else System.out.print("The engine is off.");

    }
}
}

When I compile I get 2 errors:

1) illegal start of expression 2) ; expected

I can't pin point the problem. If anyone can direct me or hint me please do.

Use of an IDE such as NetBeans, Intellij or Eclipse can really help avoid errors like this. I think even some basic editors like Notepad++ and JEdit have some language support (in terms of syntax highlighting and bracket matching) — Java Devil
– Java Devil, Commented Jun 27, 2013 at 4:24

go-oleg · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:25:11Z

3

One of your braces was in the wrong place. Should be:

class Motorcycle {

//Three instance variables - make and color are strings. while a boolean refers to TRUE OR FLASE(in this case off or on)
  String make;
  String color;
  boolean engineState;

  void startEngine() {
    if (engineState == true)
      System.out.print("The engine is already on.");
    else {
      engineState = true;
      System.out.print("The engine is now on.");
    }
  }
  void showAtts() {
    System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
    if (engineState ==true)
      System.out.print("The engine is on.");
    else System.out.print("The engine is off.");
  }
}

edited Jun 27, 2013 at 4:25

answered Jun 27, 2013 at 4:20

go-oleg

19.5k3 gold badges46 silver badges46 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

morgano · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:20:18Z

2

the method startEngine doesn't have its closing curly brace, and there's another spare closing brace at the end of the code

answered Jun 27, 2013 at 4:20

morgano

17.5k11 gold badges48 silver badges57 bronze badges

Comments

sanbhat · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:20:22Z

2

You have defined showAtts() method inside startEngine() method. A method cannot have definition of another method.

This might be due to braces being placed wrongly. Correct them.

answered Jun 27, 2013 at 4:20

sanbhat

17.6k6 gold badges52 silver badges65 bronze badges

Comments

stinepike · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:20:27Z

2

class Motorcycle {

    // Three instance variables - make and color are strings. while a
    // boolean refers to TRUE OR FLASE(in this case off or on)
    String make;
    String color;
    boolean engineState;

    void startEngine() {
        if (engineState == true)
            System.out.print("The engine is already on.");
        else {
            engineState = true;
            System.out.print("The engine is now on.");

        }
    }

    void showAtts() {
        System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
        if (engineState == true)
            System.out.print("The engine is on.");
        else
            System.out.print("The engine is off.");

    }
}

answered Jun 27, 2013 at 4:20

stinepike

54.9k14 gold badges95 silver badges115 bronze badges

Comments

Abubakkar · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:20:47Z

You are trying to define a method inside another method:

void startEngine() {
   if (engineState == true)
        System.out.print("The engine is already on.");
   else {
       engineState = true;
        System.out.print("The engine is now on.");

   }

 void showAtts() {
   System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
   if (engineState ==true)
       System.out.print("The engine is on.");
   else System.out.print("The engine is off.");

}
}

Seperate out the methods :

void startEngine() {
   if (engineState == true)
        System.out.print("The engine is already on.");
   else {
       engineState = true;
        System.out.print("The engine is now on.");
   }
}  // forgot this paranthesis


void showAtts() {
   System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
   if (engineState ==true)
       System.out.print("The engine is on.");
   else System.out.print("The engine is off.");

}

Ruchira Gayan Ranaweera · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:27:01Z

2

class Motorcycle {


//Three instance variables - make and color are strings. while a boolean refers to TRUE OR FLASE(in this case off or on)
String make;
String color;
boolean engineState;

void startEngine() {
    if (engineState == true)
        System.out.print("The engine is already on.");
    else {
        engineState = true;
        System.out.print("The engine is now on.");

    }
    } //put one here

void showAtts() {
    System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
    if (engineState ==true)
        System.out.print("The engine is on.");
    else System.out.print("The engine is off.");

}
}
// }  remove this

answered Jun 27, 2013 at 4:27

Ruchira Gayan Ranaweera

35.7k17 gold badges78 silver badges117 bronze badges

Comments

Ganesh Rengarajan · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-27 04:29:51Z

It is in correct format without error try this one..

public class Motorcycle {

public static void main(String[] args) {
    Motorcycle s=new Motorcycle();
    s.showAtts();
    s.startEngine();
}

//Three instance variables - make and color are strings. while a boolean refers to TRUE OR FLASE(in this case off or on)
String make;
String color;
boolean engineState;

void startEngine() {
    if (engineState == true)
        System.out.println("The engine is already on.");
    else {
        engineState = true;
        System.out.println("The engine is now on.");

    }
}
void showAtts() {
    System.out.print("This motorcycle is a " + color + " " + make);
    if (engineState ==true)
        System.out.println("The engine is on.");
    else System.out.println("The engine is off.");

}

}

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Error compiling basic java code

7 Answers 7

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

7 Answers 7

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related