Thread: Interpreter looks for main method in an unexpected class

Examples are from "Thinking in Java".

import static net.mindview.util.Print.*;
 
class Art {
  Art() { print("Art constructor"); }
}
 
class Drawing extends Art {
  Drawing() { print("Drawing constructor"); }
}
 
public class Cartoon extends Drawing {
  public Cartoon() { print("Cartoon constructor"); }
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Cartoon x = new Cartoon();
  }
}

Then I compile and run:

michael@michael:~/Downloads/thinking_in_java/TIJ4-code-master/examples/reusing$ javac -cp /home/michael/Downloads/thinking_in_java/TIJ4-code-master/examples Cartoon.java 
michael@michael:~/Downloads/thinking_in_java/TIJ4-code-master/examples/reusing$ java -cp /home/michael/Downloads/thinking_in_java/TIJ4-code-master/examples:. Cartoon.java 
error: can't find main(String[]) method in class: Art

The question is: Why is it looking for main class in the Art class? And how to make it run the main method in Cartoon class?

Originally Posted by Norm

What is the source of the java command that is being executed?

The java command is written above. If I have understood you correctly.

--- Update ---

Well, this works:

michael@michael:~/Downloads/thinking_in_java/TIJ4-code-master/examples/reusing$ java -cp /home/michael/Downloads/thinking_in_java/TIJ4-code-master/examples:. Cartoon

The problem was in .java at the end. Anyway, I solved the problem. But the question is still here to stay: why it looked for Art?

If I remember correctly, it must be Oracle JDK.

java -version
java version "14" 2020-03-17
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 14+36-1461)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 14+36-1461, mixed mode, sharing)

Originally Posted by Norm

Where did the java program you are using come from? How did you install it? Is it part of a package.

I use the java command that is in the JRE I've downloaded from the Oracle site.

michael@michael:~$ java -version
java version "14" 2020-03-17
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 14+36-1461)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 14+36-1461, mixed mode, sharing)

It is Oracle JDK.