There is no main method in class: Times - How do I resolve it?

[Munjal Patel]

Hello,

I am trying to get following program work, it compiles fine, but when I try to run it on console, it gives me a message:

There is no main method in class: Times

Here is the code for your reference:

public class Times
{ 
 
    static String leftText(String s , int newLen)
    {
        while ( s.length() < newLen )
        {
            s += " ";
        }
        return s ;
    }
 
    public static void main () 
    { 
      System.out.println(); 
      
      System.out.print(leftText("", 5));
      for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
      {
          String l = String.valueOf(i);  
          System.out.print(leftText(l, 5));
      }
      
      System.out.println();
      for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
      {
          String m = String.valueOf(i);  
          System.out.print(leftText(m, 5));
          for (int j = 0; j < 10; j++)
          {
              int k = j * 1;
              String n = String.valueOf(k);  
              System.out.print(leftText(n, 5));
          }
          
          if (i == 9)
          {
              System.out.println();
          }
      }
 
      System.out.println();
    } 
}

[Henry Wong]

The signature of the main method, called at the start of an application is very specific... It must be...

  public static void main(String[] args) {
     // Blah blah blah
  }

Henry

[Tommy Thomasson]

Welcome to JavaRanch Munjal!
Yes, As Henry said, the JVM is picky. While the compiler dosen't care (to a degree of course) how you declare the main method, the JVM always expects the main method to carry a String array as an argument. The name of the array does not matter. For example, you will often find the main method decalred as

 
public static void main(String [] arg) {
    /**
     * And then some very un-interesting code here
    */ 
}
 

but you are welcome to name the array anything, as long as it agrees with the conventions for declaring an array. Another legal example:

 
public static void main(String [] nameOfNeighbor) {
    /**
     * And then some code here that might estimate how many times
     * your neighbor flushes his toilet each year, where the name 
     * the neighbor is passed when you run the program 
     */
 
}

or prehaps...

   
 
pulblic static void main(String xGirlFriend []) {
    /**
     * And then some code here that might estimate, well, 
     * you can use your imagination here...
     */
}
 

This was a subject that was confusing to me when I began programming. Basically the String array argument is there in case you want to pass something to the java program from the command line.

I hope this was somewhat helpful

Tommy T.

[Muhammad Saifuddin]

Welcome to Java Ranch

Added Some extra for Munjal Patel,

Everything in java is an Object.
There are two ways to used/call Objects in java.

1. The most common way is as a programming component that is instantiated by another program.
2. Another way to putting a main �method� in the class.

or you can use this link to clarify your answer.

Java Basics
[ August 09, 2006: Message edited by: saif uddin ]

[Munjal Patel]

Ohh ok, got it!

Thanks a bunch

[Benjamin Lau]

I did consider that the name of the array should be "args".

Thanks! I got a lot.