hi...my first post! so im learning java in college and am kind of getting confused. i need to assign name and number to 2 reference variables with the get/set method...ive tried lots of different ways of doing this, but i cant seem to get it because i keep coming up with syntax errors. these are the two files we are using as reference, i have to build the code from the BicycleTest.java file:

/*
File: Bicycle.java
*/

public class Bicycle {

// Instance field
private String ownerName;
private int licenseNumber;

// Constructor
public Bicycle( String name, int license ) {
ownerName = name;
licenseNumber = license;
}

// Returns the name of this bicycle's owner
public String getOwnerName( ) {

return ownerName;
}

// Assigns the name of this bicycle's owner
public void setOwnerName( String name ) {

ownerName = name;
}

// Returns the license number of this bicycle
public int getLicenseNumber( ) {

return licenseNumber;
}

// Assigns the license number of this bicycle
public void setLicenseNumber( int license ) {

licenseNumber = license;
}

}



THIS IS THE FILE THAT TELLS ME HOW TO DO EVERYTHING.


/*
File: BicycleTest.java
*/

public class BicycleTest {

public static void main( String[] args ) {

// Create 1 Bicycle reference variable

// Create 1 String reference variable for the owner's name

// Create 1 integer variable for the license number

// Assign your full name and a license number to the String and
// integer variables

// Create a Bicycle object with the Bicycle constructor
// Use the variables you created as arguments to the constructor

// Output the owner's name and license number in printf statements
// using the object reference and the get methods.
// For example: bike.getOwnerName()

// Change the owner's name to Kenny McCormick using setOwnerName

// Output the owner's name and license number in printf statements
// using the Bicycle object reference and the get methods.

}
}

THIS IS THE FILE THAT I FOLLOW TO BUILD MY CODE.


/*
File: BicycleTest.java
*/

public class BicycleTest {

public static void main( String[] args )
{

// Create 1 Bicycle reference variable

Bicycle bike;

// Create 1 String reference variable for the owner's name

String name;

// Create 1 integer variable for the license number

int number;

// Assign your full name and a license number to the String and
// integer variables

bike.setownerName = "Josh";
bike.setlicenseNumber = 12345;

// Create a Bicycle object with the Bicycle constructor
// Use the variables you created as arguments to the constructor

//IM TOTALLY CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT TO DO HERE!!!!



// Output the owner's name and license number in printf statements
// using the object reference and the get methods.
// For example: bike.getOwnerName()

System.out.printf("The owner is %s\n", bike.getownerName());
System.out.printf("The license number is %d\n", bike.getlicenseNumber());

// Change the owner's name to Kenny McCormick using setOwnerName

bike.setownerName(); {
ownerName = "Kenny McCormick";
}

// Output the owner's name and license number in printf statements
// using the Bicycle object reference and the get methods.

System.out.printf("The owner is %s\n", bike.getownerName());
System.out.printf("The license number is %d\n", bike.getlicenseNumber());
}
}
also it would be really nice if you could point me to a really good website that explains this in detail. the textbook that were are using is small java programming by deitel...i also have head first java which i like since it is visual. Thanks!

The *ONLY* way to create an object in Java is via the new operator. Period.

And yes, you could have done but (1) that doesn't do what you were asked to do and (2) if the empty ("default") constructor for Bicycle is private, you wouldn't be able to create the empty object in the first place.

Does that help at all?

[quote=Old Pedant;235365][code]
u must initialize the obj, check this out....
version 1


public static void main( String[] args )
{

Bicycle bike = new Bicycle( " Name", lic );// mark 1
/*here your got an initialize Object okay, here you can create an instance of the class Bicycle , an do your things...*/

/*also you can input your date from the IDE's console , the same for eclipse the sema for Net Beans... there are many ways of do that but here i going to show you a good one Scanner remember include this class on the top okay */

Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
//this is a class that allows you to input data in this example you can substitute the //mark 1 doing this

String name = scan.next();//automatically get the name entered from the console
int lice = scan.nextInt();// the same for integer data types ok

//then your new y pruve mark 1 .....

Bicycle bike = new Bicycle( " name", lice );

// when you do this you can update your field an everithing you want to do

bike.setownerName("Neo");
/*changin name, but remember this is a mathod on you Bike class mus be declare like this
public void setownerName(String newName){

ownername = newName;
]

cause java works by reference the memory zone when your object in located , thats means if you change the variable name by using this method also change the variable on the Bike class...

my english is not good by i am a programer and is a plasure to help you

.-