Code won't compile !!

Hey everyone,

I am brand new to Java. So, kindly bear with me :p
I am following Head First java 2nd Edition and I am presently at the 8th chapter of the book (Interfaces and Polymorphism).

Following code (Page 207) is not compiling:

public class MyAnimalList {

private Animal [] animals = new Animal[5];
private int nextIndex = 0;

public void add(Animal a) {
if (nextIndex < animals.length) {
animals[nextIndex] = a;
System.out.println("Animal added at " + nextIndex);
nextIndex++;
}
}
}

Hence, as a result I am not able to run this test code:

public class AnimalTestDrive {
public static void main(String[] args) {
MyAnimalList list = new MyAnimalList();
Dog a = new Dog();
Cat c = new Cat();
list.add(a);
list.add(c);
}
}

The error message that I am getting while compiling the first piece of code is:

C:\Users\Deep\Desktop>javac MyAnimalList.java
MyAnimalList.java:3: cannot find symbol
symbol : class Animal
location: class MyAnimalList
private Animal [] animals = new Animal[5];
^
MyAnimalList.java:6: cannot find symbol
symbol : class Animal
location: class MyAnimalList
public void add(Animal a) {
^
MyAnimalList.java:3: cannot find symbol
symbol : class Animal
location: class MyAnimalList
private Animal [] animals = new Animal[5];
^
3 errors

What I suppose is going wrong is, maybe the compiler is not able to understand Animal because it is not sure about its type.
Am I supposed to declare a datatype for the animals array?

** Thanks **

use code tags to post code.

Have you written a class named "Animal" ?
if yes, where is it placed ? In the same directory ?

I think you have to write an interface Animal and the classes Dog and Cat should implement that interface.
Please check it once.

That was the problem. Completely forgot to compile the Animal class.
The code works now.

Thanks Mahender.

Yes, that was the missing link Mahi.

Thanks.

Thanks Salvin !

happy to help

You are welcome Mandeep