Declaring an array of objects of a class ???

hi all;
i am trying to define an array of objects of class myLine
but get the following compiler error
DrawingApplet818.java [52:1] ';' expected
myLine [ ] l = new myLine[5]();
^
1 error
Errors compiling DrawingApplet818.
see the 4th non-comment line of applets paint() method.
any ideas what i am doing wrong?
thanx
db

/*
 * DrawingApplet818.java
 *
 * Created on March 29, 2004, 9:03 PM
 *
 *
 * @author  DJB
 */
   import javax.swing.JApplet;       // import class JApplet
   import java.awt.Graphics;           // import class Graphics
   import java.awt.Graphics2D;     // import class Graphics2d
   import java.awt.geom.*;
   import java.awt.Color;
   import java.awt.Font;
   import java.text.*;
   import java.io.*;
public class DrawingApplet818 extends JApplet 
{
     
    public void init ()
    {
        
    }
    public void start ()
    {
        // called every time the user enters the webpage w/ the applet
    }
    public void stop ()
    {
        // stop running and unload resources
// called when user leaves or minimizes the webpage
    }
    public void destroy ()
    {
        // called once when browser or appletviewer exits
// quitting - - - final cleanup
    }  
    public void paint ( Graphics g )
    { // paint called every time the applet needs to be repainted
    //this.setSize( width, height );
            Font f = new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 18 );
            super.paint(g);
            myLine [  ] l = new myLine[5]();
            
            for ( int i = 0; i < l.length; i++ ) 
            {
                int x1 = 1 + (int) (Math.random() * 300);
                int y1 = 1 + (int) (Math.random() * 300);
                int x2 = 1 + (int) (Math.random() * 300);
                int y2 = 1 + (int) (Math.random() * 300);
                 
                l[ i ].setX1( x1 );
                l[ i ] .setY1( y1 ); 
                l[ i ].setX2( x2 );
                l[ i ].setY2( y2 );
                l[ i ].draw(g);
            }    
    } // end of paint
} // end of class
class myLine
{
    private int x1;
    private int y1;
    private int x2;
    private int y2;
// constructor assigns value zero (0) to the variables x1, y1, x2, y2     
    myLine() 
    {
        x1 = 0; 
        y1 = 0; 
        x2 = 0;
        y2 = 0;
    }
    // constructor assigns input parameters to the defined integer names
    myLine(int ix1, int iy1, int ix2, int iy2) 
    {
        x1 = ix1; 
        y1 = iy1; 
        x2 = ix2;
        y2 = iy2;
    }
    void setX1(int ix1)
    {
        x1 = ix1;
    }
    void setY1(int iy1)
    {
        y1 = iy1;
    }
    void setX2(int ix2)
    {
        x2 = ix2;
    }
    void setY2(int iy2)
    {
        y2 = iy2;
    }
    int getX1()
    {
        return x1;
    }
    int getY1()
    {
        return y1;
    }
    int getX2()
    {
        return x2;
    }
    int getY2()
    {
        return y2;
    }
   public void draw(Graphics g) 
   {
       g.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2);
   }   
}

[ April 05, 2004: Message edited by: Douglas Braxton ]
[ April 05, 2004: Message edited by: Douglas Braxton ]

I don't think you want the parens at the end of the line in question.
also, consider using a more understandable name for your reference, something like myLineArray. just a suggestion to maybe save you some pain later...

Originally posted by fred rosenberger:
I don't think you want the parens at the end of the line in question.
also, consider using a more understandable name for your reference, something like myLineArray. just a suggestion to maybe save you some pain later...

fred
yes i tried that already. but while the the applet will compile it fails at runtime with a

java.lang.NullPointerException execution error
db
:confused

I know what you're going through. I had the same growing pains when i was learning java.
Now, i'm not actually compiling/running/testing anything, but i be the problem is something like this.
As you probably know, when you declare a variable, you are creating a reference to an object. the actual object lives off in the RAM somewhere, and your variable name tells you how to get to it.
you have delcared an array. so, you have a handle to an array that can hold 5 things, in your case, a myLine object. here comes the catch. you don't have the 5 objects. so when you say
l[i].setX1(x1);
you saying "use my l reference, go to the first slot. then use the reference there to call the setX1() method". but there is nothing IN that slot!!!
you need to create the myLine() objects in the array. so a loop over the size of the array, putting in dummy values, or instead of making your four separate calls to set[XY][12], why not just call the constructor you wrote?
Let me know if this doesn't make sense. I usually type about 10 times faster than i think, and ALWAYS hit the "add reply" button before i double check everything...

Originally posted by fred rosenberger:
I know what you're going through. I had the same growing pains when i was learning java.
Now, i'm not actually compiling/running/testing anything, but i be the problem is something like this.
As you probably know, when you declare a variable, you are creating a reference to an object. the actual object lives off in the RAM somewhere, and your variable name tells you how to get to it.
you have delcared an array. so, you have a handle to an array that can hold 5 things, in your case, a myLine object. here comes the catch. you don't have the 5 objects. so when you say
l[i].setX1(x1);
you saying "use my l reference, go to the first slot. then use the reference there to call the setX1() method". but there is nothing IN that slot!!!
you need to create the myLine() objects in the array. so a loop over the size of the array, putting in dummy values, or instead of making your four separate calls to set[XY][12], why not just call the constructor you wrote?
Let me know if this doesn't make sense. I usually type about 10 times faster than i think, and ALWAYS hit the "add reply" button before i double check everything...

fred
sorry about being so dense. i just do not see how to accomplish getting the array of myLine objects 1- defined, 2- populated and 3- reference usable?
???
thanx
doug

Originally posted by Douglas Braxton:

fred
sorry about being so dense. i just do not see how to accomplish getting the array of myLine objects 1- defined, 2- populated and 3- reference usable?
???
thanx
doug

fred
thanks
i found what i needed.
db
Used a search to find my answer in beginners forum
post # 000264
poste: June 8 2000
search arg: object arrays