compilation problem with inner classes

[Vijay Gade]

Hello,

In the following code, please help in finding the error. I get a compilation error at lines 16 and 17.

 
package testing;
 
class TopClass {
  public InnerClass makeInnerInst() {
    return new InnerClass();
  }
  public class InnerClass {
    public InnerClass() {
    }
  }
}
 
public class TopLevelClass {
  public static void main (String[] args) {
    TopClass tlcObj = new TopClass();
    TopClass.InnerClass = new tlcObj.makeInnerInst(); // Line 16
    TopClass.InnerClass = tlcObj.new InnerClass(); // Line 17
  }
}

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Both lines are wrong in multiple ways. The following lines are correct:

TopClass.InnerClass something = tlcObj.makeInnerInst();
TopClass.InnerClass somethingElse = tlcObj.new InnerClass();

[Vijay Gade]

Yes I just realized while taking another look into my code that I did not, foolishly of course, define an object. Thank you very much for your reply, and I am sorry for having wasted your valuable time on such a silly mistake. Please excuse me.