Declaring static character array

I can't figure out how to declare a static two dimensional array.
I tried...

static char [][] array = new char [numberOfRows][numberOfColumns];

static final char [][] array = new char [numberOfRows][numberOfColumns];

can't figure it out. Please help. Thanks!:cool:

..and what happened when you tried either of those in your code? Post an SSCCE with the full errors you receive.

You may need to initialize the numberOfRows and numberofColumns variables first and give them values or else you will get an ArrayIndexOutOfBounds error when you try to access them...


static int numberOfRows = 10;
static int numberOfColumns = 20;
static char [][] array1 = new char [numberOfRows][numberOfColumns];
static final char [][] array2 = new char [numberOfRows][numberOfColumns];

I get illegal start of expression and other wierd errors saying the array cannot be found, but it says them on lines that don't even have code on them???

Post an SSCCE (see my signature if you don't know what this is)...we can guess at what's wrong, but guesses are just that.

red means error
blue means critical parts

//initialize temporary field
String temp = "";
//open the file
File file = new File("maze.txt");

Scanner input = new Scanner(file);

//read data from file and store it
temp = input.next();
int numberOfRows = Integer.parseInt(temp);

temp = input.next();
int numberOfColumns = Integer.parseInt(temp);


String totalMaze = "";

//Read maze and store it in a single line String
while (input.hasNext())
{

totalMaze = totalMaze + input.next();

}

//initiate the maze array
static char [][] array = new [numberOfRows][numberOfColumns];


}// end main method
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//static method findTreasure to find the $
public static String findTreasure (int rowIndex, int colIndex)
{
Initiate answer to hold the String of the location of the treasure
String answer = " ";
if (array[rowIndex][colIndex] == '$')
{
answer = "The treasure found at location [" + rowIndex + "][" + colIndex + "]";
return answer;
}
else if (array[rowIndex][colIndex] == '#')
{
findTreasure(rowIndex+1, colIndex);
findTreasure(rowIndex, colIndex+1);
findTreasure(rowIndex-1, colIndex);
findTreasure(rowIndex, colIndex-1);
}
else if (array[rowIndex][colIndex] == 'o')
{
findTreasure(rowIndex+1, colIndex);
findTreasure(rowIndex, colIndex+1);
findTreasure(rowIndex-1, colIndex);
findTreasure(rowIndex, colIndex-1);
array[rowIndex][colIndex] = 'X';
}
return answer;

}// end method findTreasure



obviously the red error is a "cannot find symbol" error.
This is suppose to be a recursive method I still need some work on the algorithm, but I wasn't sure how to go about making the char array
readable from the static method??

Therefore, I tried to make the array static, but then I get other multiple errors such as "cannot find symbol: variable array" on this line:
for (int row = 0; row < numberOfRows; row++)

I also got the "illegal start of expression" on this line: static char [][] array = new char [numberOfRows][numberOfColumns];

So, basically I cant decide which way to go about making the array readable from the static method??
sorry if this post is too long:confused:

You are trying to declare/initialize the array inside a method. Perhaps you should review how instance and class variables should be declared:
Understanding Instance and Class Members (The Java™ Tutorials > Learning the Java Language > Classes and Objects)