Thread: Instance Variable Won't Change!!

Good Evening Everyone,

I am having trouble getting my instance variable named "invoiceNumber" to update as the class variable "numberOfInvoices" is incremented.

Would appreciate any help.
Thank You

Invoice Class File

package javatask1;
 
public class Invoice {
    private static int numberOfInvoices = 0; //Counts total number of invoices made.
    private String companyName;
    private double amountDue;
    private String chargeDate;
    private int invoiceNumber;
 
    //CONSTRUCTORS
    public Invoice() {
        numberOfInvoices++;
        companyName = "";
        amountDue = 0;
        chargeDate = "";
        invoiceNumber = numberOfInvoices;
    }
    public Invoice(String coName, double Amount, String dateCharged) {
        numberOfInvoices++;
        companyName = coName;
        amountDue = Amount;
        chargeDate = dateCharged;
        invoiceNumber = numberOfInvoices;
    }
 
    //GET METHODS
    public static int getNumberOfInvoices() {
        return numberOfInvoices;
    }
    public String getCompanyName() {
        return companyName;
    }
    public double getAmountDue() {
        return amountDue;
    }
    public String getChargeDate() {
        return chargeDate;
    }
    public int getInvoiceNumber() {
        return invoiceNumber;
    }
 
    //SET METHODS
    public void setCompanyName(String coName) {
       companyName = coName;
    }
    public void setAmountDue(double Amount) {
       amountDue = Amount;
    }
    public void setChargeDate(String dateCharged) {
       chargeDate = dateCharged;
    }
}

Test Program

package javatask1;
 
public class JavaTask1 {
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // TODO code application logic here
        Invoice myBill = new Invoice("SeaGraphics", 150, "06152013");
        System.out.println(Invoice.getNumberOfInvoices()); 
        System.out.println(myBill.getInvoiceNumber()); 
 
        Invoice myBill2 = new Invoice("SeaGraphics", 150, "06152013");
        System.out.println(Invoice.getNumberOfInvoices());
        System.out.println(myBill.getInvoiceNumber());
 
        Invoice myBill3 = new Invoice("SeaGraphics", 150, "06152013");
        System.out.println(Invoice.getNumberOfInvoices());
        System.out.println(myBill.getInvoiceNumber());
    }
}

Output
run:
1
1
2
1
3
1
BUILD SUCCESSFUL (total time: 0 seconds)

I don't see any problem in the updating of the variable.
It looks like it prints out exactly what you told it to print out.
Perhaps you thought you were printing something else?

Hmm. I'll explain what I thought I was doing and you can tell me where I went wrong.

'numberOfInvoices' is supposed to be a counter that increments every time an "invoice" is created, in order to keep a count of the total number of invoices. 'invoiceNumber' is supposed to be the unique number that identifies each invoice that is created, so that's why I put it in the constructor. I was thinking that every time an invoice is created, each new invoice will have a number assigned by the line I highlighted below.

public Invoice(String coName, double Amount, String dateCharged) {
        numberOfInvoices++;
        companyName = coName;
        amountDue = Amount;
        chargeDate = dateCharged;
        invoiceNumber = numberOfInvoices;  //GIVES EACH INVOICE A UNIQUE NUMBER (OR SO I THOUGHT)
    }

My expected output:
1 //numberOfInvoices
1 //invoiceNumber
2 ''
2 ''
3 ''
3 ''

Look closely at what you told the program to print, and compare that to what you really want to print, they are not the same.

[unnecessary post removed...]

Oh crap I'm an idiot.. Thanks for your help!

Invoice myBill = new Invoice("SeaGraphics", 150, "06152013");
System.out.println(Invoice.getNumberOfInvoices());
System.out.println(myBill.getInvoiceNumber());

Invoice myBill2 = new Invoice("SeaGraphics", 150, "06152013");
System.out.println(Invoice.getNumberOfInvoices());
System.out.println(myBill2.getInvoiceNumber());

Invoice myBill3 = new Invoice("SeaGraphics", 150, "06152013");
System.out.println(Invoice.getNumberOfInvoices());
System.out.println(myBill3.getInvoiceNumber());