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Java

Can someone tell me what im doing wrong?

Working on the treestory course, when i run it in workspace it says illegal start to type but i checked everything and it looks exactly like craigs. please help

import java.io.Console;

public class TreeStory {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Console console = System.console();
        /*  Some terms:
            noun - Person, place or thing
            verb - An action
            adjective - A description used to modify or describe a noun
            Enter your amazing code here!
        */
       // __Name__ is a __adjective__ __ noun__.  They are always __ adverb__ __ verb__.
       String ageAsString = console.readLine("How old are you? ");
       int age = Integer.parseInt(ageAsString);
       if (age < 13) {
         // Insert exit code
         console.printf("Sorry you must be at least 13 to use this program.\n");
         System.exit(0);
       }
       String name = console.readLine("Enter a name: ");
       String adjective = console.readLine("Enter an adjective: ");
       String noun;
       boolean isInvalidWord;
       do {
         noun = console.readLine("Enter a noun: ");
         isInvalidWord = (noun.equalsIgnoreCase("dork") || 
                           noun.equalsIgnoreCase("jerk"));
       if (isInvalidword) {
            console.printf("That language is not allowed. Try again. \n\n");
        }       
      }  while (isInvalidWord);                              
       String adverb = console.readLine("Enter an adjective: ");
       String verb = console.readLine("Enter a verb ending in -ing: ");

       console.printf("Your TreeStory:\n---------------\n");
       console.printf("%s is a %s %s. ", name, adjective, noun);
       console.printf("They are always %s %s. \n", adverb, verb);

    }

}

Error message: if (isInvalidword) {
Picked up JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS: -Xmx128m
Picked up _JAVA_OPTIONS: -Xmx128m
TreeStory.java:29: error: cannot find symbol
if (isInvalidword) {
^
symbol: variable isInvalidword
location: class TreeStory
TreeStory.java:29: error: illegal start of type
if (isInvalidword) {
^
2 errors

Can you post the error message; does it give you a line number for the issue?

Error Message:

if (isInvalidword) {
Picked up JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS: -Xmx128m
Picked up _JAVA_OPTIONS: -Xmx128m
TreeStory.java:29: error: cannot find symbol
if (isInvalidword) {
^
symbol: variable isInvalidword
location: class TreeStory
TreeStory.java:29: error: illegal start of type
if (isInvalidword) {
^
2 errors

Thank you so much

1 Answer

Caleb Kemp
Caleb Kemp
12,755 Points

The problem is really quite simple, when you initialized boolean isInvalidWord, you made "Word" captilized, when you call the variable on line 29, you typed "isInvalidword", word lowercased. Therefore, because they are spelled differently, java thinks you are trying to create a brand new variable without a type listed.

solution: fix the typo and change "isInvalidword" to "isInvalidWord" on line 29.

[MOD: changed comment to answer and +1'd - srh]