'void' type not allowed here

[Arun C. Giridharan]

   class Dog
 {
  String name;
 public static void main(String enter[])
 {
   Dog dog1=new Dog();
   dog1.bark();
   dog1.name="Bart";
   Dog []mydogs=new Dog[3];
   mydogs[0]=new Dog();
   mydogs[1]=new Dog();
   mydogs[2]=new Dog();
   System.gc();
   mydogs[0].name="Fredd";
   mydogs[1].name="Marge";
   mydogs[2]=dog1;
   System.out.println("last dog's name is "+mydogs[2].name);
   int x=0;
   while(x<mydogs.length)
   {
     System.out.println(mydogs[x].name+mydogs[x++].bark());
     //x=x+1;
   }
  }
   public void bark()
  {
    System.out.println(" says Ruff!");
  }
}  

Dog.java:21: 'void' type not allowed here
System.out.println(mydogs[x].name+mydogs[x++].bark());


what does this mean 'void' type not allowed here ???

[David Newton]

Can't print a void return value. Either return a string, or do all the printing in bark().

Personally, having a method that prints " says Ruff!", and depending on the calling method to put something in front of it that makes sense, is the start of a bad API. Options would include just returning "ruff" and doing the additional work in the calling method, or doing the name + barking sound in the bark() method, but there are other options as well.

[Arun C. Giridharan]

Thank you .... i forgot about return type (String)