Syntax error on token ";", , expected when initializing called value from another class

Question

I have a value that I want to pass between 2 classes, but I get the following error:

Syntax error on token ";", , expected when initializing called value from another class

Class where I have the initial value

public class Game extends Activity implements OnClickListener{

    RandomMathQuestionGenerator question = new RandomMathQuestionGenerator();
    private static final String TAG= "Sudoku";

    public static final String KEY_DIFFICULTY = 
            "org.example.sudoku.difficulty";
    public static final int DIFFICULTY_NOVICE = 1;
    public static final int DIFFICULTY_EASY = 2;
    public static final int DIFFICULTY_MEDIUM = 3;
    public static final int DIFFICULTY_GURU = 4;

    public int value = 0;

    private GameView gameView;  

    public Game()
    {
       if (KEY_DIFFICULTY == String.valueOf(1))
        {
            value = 2; 
        }
        else if (KEY_DIFFICULTY == String.valueOf(2))
        {
            value = 3;        
        }
        else if (KEY_DIFFICULTY == String.valueOf(3))
        {
            value = 4;
        }
        else if (KEY_DIFFICULTY == String.valueOf(4))
        {
            value = 6;
        }
    }

    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        Log.d(TAG, "onCreate");    



    }
    @Override
    public void onClick(View v) 
    {           
          //code here       
    }
}

Class where I call the value

public class RandomMathQuestionGenerator {

Game num = new Game();
int number = 0;
number = num.Game(value);
//public int number = 0;
//number = num.Game(number); 


private static final int NUMBER_OF_QUESTIONS = 1;
    private static final int MIN_QUESTION_ELEMENTS = 2;
    private final int MAX_QUESTION_ELEMENTS = number;
    private static final int MIN_QUESTION_ELEMENT_VALUE = 1;
    private static final int MAX_QUESTION_ELEMENT_VALUE = 100;
    private final Random randomGenerator = new Random();    

    //rest of irrelevant code below
    }

remove the `public` in `public Game num`. And show us your Game class — Sotirios Delimanolis, Mar 04 '13 at 20:59
`int number = 0;` and then on the next line `number = num.Game(value);`... Seems mighty pointless. — christopher, Mar 04 '13 at 21:02
@ChrisCooney technically true, i could do int number = num.Game(value) i guess — Maciej Cygan, Mar 04 '13 at 21:05
If that public keyword is inside a method body, it is invalid syntax. So as previously stated, remove it. — christopher, Mar 04 '13 at 21:09
@MaciejCygan there is no `Game()` method in `Game` class like here `num.Game(value)`. Why would you instantiate an Activity class? — Sotirios Delimanolis, Mar 04 '13 at 21:09
Please share the code of the second class where you are calling it. — Ankit, Mar 04 '13 at 21:11
@SotiriosDelimanolis I have created now Game()method, will update code accordingly — Maciej Cygan, Mar 04 '13 at 21:18
This line `number = num.Game(value);` cannot exist outside of an Initializer block. There's a lot going wrong with your code. — Sotirios Delimanolis, Mar 04 '13 at 21:28
I might sound harsh here, but is this your first go at an Android application? — Ole, Mar 04 '13 at 21:58
Ok :) Classes that extends `Activity` are not meant to be initialized by you like normal generic java classes. Check out Sam's answer! — Ole, Mar 04 '13 at 22:11
Also, if you haven't check out [this](http://developer.android.com/training/index.html), you probably should ;) — Ole, Mar 04 '13 at 22:20
@Ole Yeah i can see that it doesn't work the same as normal generic java class. I am trying to find solution based on Sam answer, but i dont really seem to be getting anywhere. I do get some error i am not familiart with (errors found in comment under sam answer ) — Maciej Cygan, Mar 04 '13 at 23:27

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:43

The syntax error is irrelevant in the long run.

In Android your must start an Activity with an Intent. (See this Developer's Guide article.) When you want to start Game use:

Intent intent = new Intent(this, Game.class);
startActivity(intent);

Also you declare KEY_DIFFICULTY as final (unchangeable):

public static final String KEY_DIFFICULTY = "org.example.sudoku.difficulty";

So your if-else block will never be true in any of these cases:

if (KEY_DIFFICULTY == String.valueOf(1))

And to compare Strings in Java you must use equals(), == will give inaccurate results. (How do I compare strings in Java?)

If you want to pass the level of difficulty from one Activity to another use the Intent's extras, a public class variable, or another approach found in: How do I pass data between Activities in Android application?

Addition
You just added more code to your question and you have circular logic.

- When you create RandomMathQuestionGenerator object, you will create a Game object
    - When you create Game object, you will create a RandomMathQuestionGenerator object
        - When you create RandomMathQuestionGenerator object, you will create a Game object
            - When you create Game object, you will create a RandomMathQuestionGenerator object
                - When you create RandomMathQuestionGenerator object, you will create a Game object
                    - When you create Game object, you will create a RandomMathQuestionGenerator object
                        - When you create RandomMathQuestionGenerator object, you will create a Game object
                            - When you create Game object, you will create a RandomMathQuestionGenerator object
                                - ...

This will only stop when your app throws a StackOverflowException.

Im am trying to work way around with the Intent, but i am not succeeding. Your example throws an error "The constructor Intent(RandomMathQuestionGenerator, Class) is undefined" and " The method startActivity(Intent) is undefined for the type RandomMathQuestionGenerator" — Maciej Cygan, Mar 04 '13 at 23:19

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 04 '13 at 21:14

number = num.Game(value);

I don't see a method Game(int value) in your Game class. You need to create this method in your class:

public int Game(int value){
   //code
}

I am also not sure you can name a method the same name as your class. I assume the fact it has a return value in the signature, it would be valid, but it would be bad practice to have a method name the same as your class anyway.

Riking · Answer 3 · 2013-03-04T21:30:21.983

Case - In `<init>`

Here's my modified proposed code for RandomMathQuestionGenerator:

public class RandomMathQuestionGenerator {
  private Game num;
  private int number;

  public RandomMathQuestionGenerator() {
    num = new Game();
    number = num.value;
    // Existing code here
  }
  // Existing code here
}

Case - In method code

Game num = new Game();
int number = num.value;

Here's what's wrong:

public Game - public is a field modifier, not a variable modifier, and is invalid in the middle of method code. Note that final is a valid modifier - it means that re-assigning the variable is a compile error.
Creating number with a placeholder value, then assigning to it - that 0 will never be used
num does not have a method Game, and value is not defined in this code. value is a property of Game objects, of which num is one. I strongly recommend renaming this variable - maybe gameInst would work.

Summary

(in progress)

although your solution is not showing any errors in the code (i.e. red cross, underline etc) when i lunch application it crashes throwing errors — Maciej Cygan, Mar 04 '13 at 21:45

Syntax error on token ";", , expected when initializing called value from another class

3 Answers3

Case - In <init>

Case - In method code

Summary

Case - In `<init>`