Need help in this error ??

[gurpeet singh]

Please consider the following code listing

void test()  
    {  
      
    int [] a = new int[2[];  
      
    a = {1,2};          //illegal start of expression    LABEL:PROBLEM
      
    System.out.println(a[0]);  
    System.out.println(a[1]);  
      
    }  

Assume that everything else is correct . When i ran this code in the IDE i'm getting Illegal Start of expression at line number labelled PROBLEM. I faced this code in a mock question which had three answers a.) 12 b.)Compile time
3.) Runtime. so i guess it will be compile time error but I'm not able to understand the cause of the error. Please help

[Hussein Mhanna]

Hello gurpeet,

The array initializer (a ={1,2}) can only be used in the declaration of an array(Ex : int[] a = {1,2,3}).

So the answer is : The error is at Compile time.

[gurpeet singh]

thanks for the reply Husain.........but is there some reason or is it in the syntax of array declarations for java...Can you please elaborate ??

[John Jai]

It's a specification that array initializers should be present only in the array declaration.

From the JLS:

An array initializer may be specified in a declaration, creating an array and providing some initial values:

Source - JLS-Array Initializers - Navigate to Array Initializer if the URL is pointed to different section. It's pointing to a different section for me but I copied from Array Initializer.

[gurpeet singh]

thanks John................the topic is resolved. Before closing i would like to ask you that I'm preparing for ocjp 6 exam and I'm currently following KB Scjp 6 Book. Should i also study JLS pdf.? or the book and mock exams are sufficient....

[John Jai]

The book and mock exams should be sufficient. We have also have a page for mock exam links - ScjpMockTests.