Adding Record Problem in JDBC ?

Hello;
I have a problem in adding a record to my database which is Employees.mdb. I tried doing it by using y1 - which is a JButton with an ActionListener, I also did minimize the operation so that I could see if the program will add a record.
The Problem is that, when I press the Add Button w/c is y1, the dos promt generates a NullPointerExcaption, thats why adding a record doesnt work. Can someone here help me pls ! its an Emergency !,thanks.
// Sample Program
/*Program Made By: Jan - Michael Soan
4-D Project Study T-F 3:00 - 4:30 */
import java.sql.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.text.*;
public class Database extends JFrame {
private String url;
private Connection connect;
private Statement statement;
private Connection connection;
public Database()
{
super( "Timeport . . ." );
try {
url = "jdbc

dbc:Employees";
Class.forName( "sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver" );
connect = DriverManager.getConnection( url );
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,"Connection Successful !",
"Database . . .",JOptionPane.PLAIN_MESSAGE);
}
catch ( ClassNotFoundException cnfex ) {
cnfex.printStackTrace();
}
catch ( SQLException sqlex ) {
sqlex.printStackTrace();
}
catch ( Exception ex ) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
Container c = getContentPane();
JPanel p1 = new JPanel();
JPanel p2 = new JPanel();
JPanel p3 = new JPanel();
JPanel p4 = new JPanel();
JPanel p5 = new JPanel();
JPanel p6 = new JPanel();
JPanel p7 = new JPanel();
// Sub Panel's s1
JPanel s1 = new JPanel();
JPanel s2 = new JPanel();
JPanel s3 = new JPanel();
JPanel s4 = new JPanel();
JPanel s5 = new JPanel();
JPanel s6 = new JPanel();
JLabel l1 = new JLabel("Firstname :");
JLabel l2 = new JLabel("Lastname :");
JLabel l3 = new JLabel("Employee No :");
JLabel l4 = new JLabel("SSS Number :");
final JTextField t1 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t2 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t3 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t4 = new JTextField(20);
p1.add(l1); p1.add(t1);
p1.add(l2); p1.add(t2);
p1.add(l3); p1.add(t3);
p1.add(l4); p1.add(t4);
p1.setLayout( new GridLayout( 4, 2 ) );
p1.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
s1.add(p1);
c.add(s1, BorderLayout.NORTH);
JTabbedPane x1 = new JTabbedPane();
String name1 = "Identification";
JLabel l5 = new JLabel("Gender :");
JLabel l6 = new JLabel("Status :");
JLabel l7 = new JLabel("Birthdate :");
JLabel l8 = new JLabel("Address :");
JLabel l9 = new JLabel("City :");
JLabel l10 = new JLabel("Province :");
JLabel l11 = new JLabel("Country :");
final JCheckBox b1 = new JCheckBox("Male");
final JCheckBox b2 = new JCheckBox("Female");
s4.add(b1);
s4.add(b2);
s4.setLayout( new GridLayout( 1, 2 ) );
final JTextField t5 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t6 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t7 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t8 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t9 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t10 = new JTextField(20);
p3.add(l5); p3.add(s4);
p3.add(l6); p3.add(t5);
p3.add(l7); p3.add(t6);
p3.add(l8); p3.add(t7);
p3.add(l9); p3.add(t8);
p3.add(l10); p3.add(t9);
p3.add(l11); p3.add(t10);
p3.setLayout( new GridLayout( 9, 2 ) );
p3.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
x1.add(name1, p3);
// End of 1st x1
String name2 = "Contacs";

JLabel l12 = new JLabel("Telephone :");
JLabel l13 = new JLabel("E-Mail :");
JLabel l14 = new JLabel("Spouse :");
JLabel l15 = new JLabel("Contact No :");
final JTextField t11 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t12 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t13 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t14 = new JTextField(20);
s2.add(l12); s2.add(t11);
s2.add(l13); s2.add(t12);
s2.add(l14); s2.add(t13);
s2.add(l15); s2.add(t14);
s2.setLayout( new GridLayout( 4, 2 ) );
s2.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
JLabel l16 = new JLabel("Special Contact :");
final JTextField t15 = new JTextField(20);
s3.add(l16); s3.add(t15);
s3.setLayout( new GridLayout( 4, 2 ) );
s3.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
p4.add(s2); p4.add(s3);
p4.setLayout( new GridLayout( 2, 1 ) );
x1.add(name2, p4);
// End of 2nd x1
String name3 = "Employment";
JLabel l17 = new JLabel("Job Title :");
JLabel l18 = new JLabel("Department :");
JLabel l19 = new JLabel("Date hired :");
JLabel l20 = new JLabel("Institution :");
JLabel l21 = new JLabel("Course Attiend :");
JLabel l22 = new JLabel("Awards / GPA :");
final JTextField t16 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t17 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t18 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t19 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t20 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t21 = new JTextField(20);
p5.add(l17); p5.add(t16);
p5.add(l18); p5.add(t17);
p5.add(l19); p5.add(t18);
p5.add(l20); p5.add(t19);
p5.add(l21); p5.add(t20);
p5.add(l22); p5.add(t21);
p5.setLayout( new GridLayout( 9, 2 ) );
p5.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
x1.add(name3, p5);
// End of 3rd x1
String name4 = "Deductions";
JLabel l23 = new JLabel("Tax Deduction :");
JLabel l24 = new JLabel("SSS Deduction :");
JLabel l25 = new JLabel("Loans :");
JLabel l26 = new JLabel("Medicare :");
JLabel l27 = new JLabel("Others :");
final JTextField t22 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t23 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t24 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t25 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t26 = new JTextField(20);
p6.add(l23); p6.add(t22);
p6.add(l24); p6.add(t23);
p6.add(l25); p6.add(t24);
p6.add(l26); p6.add(t25);
p6.add(l27); p6.add(t26);
p6.setLayout( new GridLayout( 9, 2 ) );
p6.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
x1.add(name4, p6);
// End of 4th x1
String name5 = "Incomes";
JLabel l28 = new JLabel("Basic Pay :");
JLabel l29 = new JLabel("Overtime Pay :");
JLabel l30 = new JLabel("Holiday Pay :");
JLabel l31 = new JLabel("Others :");
JLabel l32 = new JLabel("Net Pay :");
JLabel l33 = new JLabel();
JLabel l34 = new JLabel();
JLabel l35 = new JLabel();
final JTextField t27 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t28 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t29 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t30 = new JTextField(20);
final JTextField t31 = new JTextField(20);
JButton com = new JButton("Compute");
s5.add(l28); s5.add(t27);
s5.add(l29); s5.add(t28);
s5.add(l30); s5.add(t29);
s5.add(l31); s5.add(t30);
s5.setLayout( new GridLayout( 4, 2 ) );
s5.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
s6.add(l32); s6.add(t31);
s6.add(l33); s6.add(com);
s6.add(l34); s6.add(l35);
s6.setLayout( new GridLayout( 4, 2 ) );
s6.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.
TitledBorder(new javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder()));
p7.add(s5); p7.add(s6);
p7.setLayout( new GridLayout( 2, 1 ) );

x1.add(name5, p7);
// End of 5th x1
JPanel f1 = new JPanel();
JLabel c1 = new JLabel();
JLabel c2 = new JLabel();
JButton y1 = new JButton("Add");
JButton y2 = new JButton("Find");
JButton y3 = new JButton("Update");
JButton y4 = new JButton("Cancel");
f1.add(c1); f1.add(y1);
f1.add(y2); f1.add(y3);
f1.add(y4); f1.add(c2);
f1.setLayout( new GridLayout() );
c.add(x1, BorderLayout.CENTER);
c.add(f1, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
Dimension sd = java.awt.Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getScreenSize();
setLocation(sd.width / 2 - 480 / 2,
sd.height / 2 - 400 / 2);
setResizable(false);
setSize(480, 400);
show();
y1.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
// - - - - Here's the Problem ? - - - - //
try {
statement = connection.createStatement();
String query = "INSERT INTO Record (" +
"Firstname" +
") VALUES ('" + t1.getText() + "')";

int result = statement.executeUpdate( query );

statement.close();
}
catch ( SQLException sqlex ) {
sqlex.printStackTrace();
System.out.println(sqlex.toString());
}
}
});
com.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
float a1 = Float.parseFloat(t22.getText());
float a2 = Float.parseFloat(t23.getText());
float a3 = Float.parseFloat(t24.getText());
float a4 = Float.parseFloat(t25.getText());
float a5 = Float.parseFloat(t26.getText());
float a6 = Float.parseFloat(t27.getText());
float a7 = Float.parseFloat(t28.getText());
float a8 = Float.parseFloat(t29.getText());
float a9 = Float.parseFloat(t30.getText());
float sal;
float ded;
float sum;

sal = a6 + a7 + a8 + a9;
ded = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5;
sum = sal - ded;
DecimalFormat change = new DecimalFormat("0.00");
String ans = change.format(sum);
t31.setText("P "+ans);
}
});
}
public static void main( String args[] )
{
Database app = new Database();
app.addWindowListener(
new WindowAdapter() {
public void windowClosing( WindowEvent e )
{
System.exit( 0 );
}
}
);
}
}

// - - - - Here's the Problem ? - - - - //
try {
statement = connection.createStatement();

The problem is that your connection code above this uses a vaiable called "connect". The "connection" variable you're trying to use here is not initialized, that's why you're getting the NullPointerException.
So, change the code to this and it should work:

Good luck.