Problem With Very Simple While Loop

[Scott Kamen]

I don't know how I can be having problems with this. The syntax of my loop seems to be correct but it might be something else in a different part of my code that is causing my problem. With the following code:

 // Import packaged code from java.util
 import java.util.*;
public class App {
  // Declare Vector Object
  Vector people = new Vector ();
  
  // Declare menuselection variable and assign it a variable that is not equal to any
  // of the menu selection values
  int selection = 0;
 
  // Declare constants to be used in menu selection and switch statements
  final byte ADDEMPLOYEE = 1;
  final byte ADDCUSTOMER = 2;
  final byte BILLABLE = 3;
  final byte DISPLAYCUSTOMER = 4;
  final byte DISPLAYEMPLOYEE = 5;
  final byte DISPLAYPERSONS = 6;
  final byte EXIT = 7;
  
  // Create a constant value to be used in creating an infinite loop
  final byte CONSTANT = 10;
  
  // Create Infinite Loop
  while (CONSTANT == 10) {   // <-ILLEGAL START OF TYPE       // ERROR HERE  
  
  // Draw separator across screen to ease viewing
  Utility.separator(80, '-');
  
  // Display Menu Selections and Title Header on Screen
  System.out.println("Main Menu");
  Utility.skip();
  System.out.println("1  Add a customer");
  System.out.println("2  Add an employee");
  System.out.println("3  Show all billable persons");
  System.out.println("4  Show all customers");
  System.out.println("5  Show all employees");
  System.out.println("6  Show all persons");
  System.out.println("7  Exit");
  
  // Prompt for user selection
 System.out.print("Enter selection: ");
 
 // Get menu selection from user
 selection = Keyboard.readByte();
   
  
 }
}

I have other instantiable classes, abstract class , an interface and methods in my code too. Maybe they are causing a problem that is being reflected in my while loop? I can't believe I'm having so much trouble with a while loop.

Thanks again , and I hope the solution is something that will make me feel like an idiot (at least it will be an easy fix then)
-Scott

[Michael Morris]

Hi Scott,
Welcome to JavaRanch. What exactly is the problem? Also, why don't you just code while(true) { instead of creating a constant to test?

[Francis Siu]

hi Scott and Michael
I do not know the problem too

 
final byte CONSTANT =10;
while(CONSTANT ==10)
{
  System.out.println(CONSTANT);
  //if(CONSTANT ==10)
  //break;
} 

In this part of programme,it works.
What is it wrong?

[Scott Kamen]

Yeah the while (true) would be easier I never thought of that. As I thought the syntax of my loop is good. Is there someway that a problem with one of my other classes , interfaces or methods that I wrote could be causing the problem with this while loop? Also I just tried to replace my while loop with a do while loop and I got the exact same compile error except instead of being at where the "while" was it is where the "do" is. The syntax of both of these loops is correct so there must be something else in my code that causing the program. I checked my brackets and I don't think that I have any stray brackets causing trouble so I really don't know what it is.
thanks again,
-Scott
[ May 03, 2003: Message edited by: Scott Kamen ]

[Scott Kamen]

I just found the problem and like I thought I feel very very dumb. I hastily never created a main method in my App class. I'm going to go in the closet and bang my head on the wall now.
-Scott