Variables in Static Methods

[henri henri]

 
public static String getActorName() {
 String a_Name = actorBox.getText(); 
    return a_Name;
}

The above method is in my main class. The reference variable actorBox is static and refers to a JTextField.

  String fName = DVD_Titles.getActorName(); 

The method is then used in another class, but it throws a NullPointerException. My actorBox Object is instantiated with new and works fine for other methods of the same class. Somehow the variable inside the static method points to null.

[Mr. C Lamont Gilbert]

How are you ensuring the static variable is set before the static method is called?

[henri henri]

I am trying different things, but as I am a novice programmer, I am still learning from experince. I will try using abstract, but final did not work. When I use the method getText() on the actorBox reference within the same class, it works of course. I want to get the text in the TextField from the main class and use it in a secondary class. I should be able to do this with a static method.

[henri henri]

I thought about your question and I initialized the actorBox before my constructor. The NullPointerException for that method is longer there.

[Nimit Muni]

Hello

Remember...static methods should always call a method which is static.

[Tony Morris]

Originally posted by Nimit Muni:
Hello

Remember...static methods should always call a method which is static.

Static methods should not exist and are a defective part of the language.
I think the point you're trying to make is "do not call static methods as instance methods". This includes static method calls on an implicit (or explicit) 'this' reference.