NullPointerException:null problem

Hello,

I'm trying to make a simple calculator with Java and everything compiles well but when I try to run it, I get an error on the line
String expression = keyboard.nextLine();
saying "NullPointerException:null"

I read a few webpages saying that it is trying to access something but that something is null? :S

Thanks

Code :

---

import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class Calculator
{
    private static Scanner keyboard;
 
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
 
        System.out.println("Welcome to calculator 1.0");
        System.out.println();
 
        System.out.print("Enter an expression: ");
        String expression = keyboard.nextLine();
 
        // The user must enter an expression such as 2+3.
        // You can assume that only 1-digit numbers are typed so
        // that you can use expression.charAt(0) to get the first
        // number and so on.
 
        int number1; // the first number
        int number2; // the second number
        char operation; // the operation (+,-,*,/)
 
        number1 = expression.charAt(0);
        operation = expression.charAt(1);
        number2 = expression.charAt(2);
 
        // Now calculate the answer and print it out.
        //
        // Use an if/else statement to handle each operation
        int answer;
        if (operation == '+')
            answer = number1+number2;
        else if (operation == '-')
            answer = number1-number2;
        else if (operation == '*')
            answer = number1*number2;
        else if (operation == '/')
            answer = number1/number2;
 
            else
        {
            System.out.println("Unsupported operation: " + operation);
            return;
        }
 
        System.out.println("The answer is" +answer);
    }
}

---

you forgot the correct instantiation of the object for the Scanner class



you only have this
,

Code :

---

private static Scanner keyboard;

---

it should be like this,

Code :

---

private static Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);

---

Indeed, you have a null reference, when you attempt to call a method on a null reference you will be thrown a NullPointerException.

Code :

---

    String myString = null;
    myString.length();

---

// Json

sir json i notice his error and i corrected it.. but i need some brief explanation about the
correct instantiation that i've posted

can you please explain it how? and why?

tnx \m/

The dot operator references a method/field of an instantiated object. However, null means you're not pointing to an object, and can't reference a method/field of an object if it doesn't exist. So, the JVM is polite and throws a NullPointerException rather than crash your program/system :)

Here is a scary bit of code for you though.

Try running this.

Code :

---

public class MyClass {
 
    public static void myMethod() {
        System.out.println("No null pointer exception?");
    }
 
 
    public static void main(final String[] arguments) {
        MyClass myclass = null;
        myClass.myMethod();
    }
}

---

// Json

Eclipse is smart :P It won't let me compile.

You're trying to access a static method via an instantiated object.

However, if you using a different compiler, it's likely you won't get a null pointer exception (if it's smart, and thinks it knows better than you do). The reason is it may go through on compile and replace all attempts to call static methods un-statically, and replace them so they are called statically. It's impossible to get a null pointer exception from calling a method statically :)

My eclipse compiles fine with that, you should be getting a compiler warning though.

You can call statics using "this" as well if you like, during runtime the JVM will just reference the class rather than the instance anyways.

// Json

I think I may have turned a setting on so it will give me an error. That's ok, it makes no sense to try and use a static member non-statically :)