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Thread: Null Pointer (a curious case)

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    Default Null Pointer (a curious case)

    I get a null pointer at:

    n[Array.getLength(n)-1] = cur;

    not an arrayIndexOutOfBounds, but a null pointer? I didn't think you get get a null pointer on assignment, because after all aren't you supposed to be able to assign any object a null?

    EDIT: n is a non primitive type. It is actually an array of objects.


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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Is n itself null?
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    It shouldn't be:

    	n=utilities.increment(n);
    			for(Tile cur:t.nodes){
    				if(cur!=null){
    				n[Array.getLength(n)-1] = cur;

    	public static Tile[] increment(Tile[] k){
    		int i = 0;
    		int len = k==null ? 1:Array.getLength(k)+1;
    		Tile[] tmp = new Tile[len];
    		if(len==1)return tmp;
    		for(Tile kk: k){
    			tmp[i] = kk;
    			++i;
    					}
    					return tmp;
    								          }

    I actually preform a null check on cur for operations that occur later.


    Additional info:

    n is a local variable, but was passed as a parameter. So to my knowledge as soon as I reassigned n it lost its connection to the passed array.

    Post Script: I do understand your question though, because if I am being pragmatic I can concede that the system doesn't lie. So the only option here is that n is null? I guess my question for this thread is: could there be any other way I would get a null pointer there besides the fact that n is null?
    Last edited by KAJLogic; April 8th, 2014 at 09:47 AM.

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Is the type for n explicitly an array, or is it just an object?
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    What do you mean by explicitly an array?

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Can you post an SSCCE that demonstrates exactly what you're doing?
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    KAJLogic (April 8th, 2014)

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    May I ask first, is there any other way I could get a null pointer there? Or, do you need more of the code to know for sure? In my head I keep getting this nagging urge to just stop myself and realize that an assignment cannot get a null pointer; the only way is if the array is null (). Is this not true? (assuming n is a non-primitive type)

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Another way is that Array isn't the class but a local variable that is null.
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    There is a level of incursion, but I believe that as soon as I reassign n it is no longer referencing the argument. Norm, do you mean a local variable that wasn't initialized?

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    variable that wasn't initialized
    That is the most common cause of a NPE.
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Quote Originally Posted by KAJLogic View Post
    What do you mean by explicitly an array?
    Like, is it declared as:
    Tile[] n;
    or it is declared as:
    Object n;

    I ask because if it is the first one (explicitly an array), you could get the length by:
    n.length;
    Instead of:
    Array.getLength(n);

    NOTE: notice no parentheses at the end of n.length. It is a variable reference, not a method call.
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Yes aussie your right I guess I never really reviewed the array API very much. In any case I appreciate your help. I will delve into this with your suggestions.

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    I suggested this because if you use n.length; and still get the null pointer, it means two things:
    1. the problem is independent from the Array class
    2. n is null
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    What are you suggesting that the Array class is inaccurate or flawed?

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Without seeing a complete (small) program that compiles, executes and shows the problem, most of this discussion is pretty useless.
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Quote Originally Posted by KAJLogic View Post
    What are you suggesting that the Array class is inaccurate or flawed?
    No.

    Quote Originally Posted by Norm View Post
    Without seeing a complete (small) program that compiles, executes and shows the problem, most of this discussion is pretty useless.
    Yes.
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    No, but perhaps that the getLength() method does something which, due to the way your array is set up or something, unexpectedly causes a null pointer to be thrown. The Array.getLength() method is a native method, so I don't have a clue what it actually does.
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Aussie using the length variable produces the same error.

     
     
     
    								        			        }
    Last edited by KAJLogic; April 8th, 2014 at 01:38 PM.

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Well that means that n is null.
    n is set by the utilities.increment() method. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the increment() method can return null. Are you 100% sure the line you are getting the null pointer at is correct?
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Yeah at the top of the exception it cites that line then it cites a stream larger than my command prompt buffers capabilities here:

    	nO = t.getOptimalNodes(n,utilities.invert(a));
    Last edited by KAJLogic; April 8th, 2014 at 01:04 PM.

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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    Can you provide the full stack trace?
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    Default Re: Null Pointer (a curious case)

    This will be trivial to debug as soon as you provide the SSCCE. Before that, this is all just guesswork.
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