Basic Java - Coding in text editor, cannot create new object from a different file although they're in the same package "Cannot find symbol"

Question

This code compiles fine:

Person.java

package people;

class Person{
    private String name;
    private int age;

public Person(String name, int age){
    this.name = name;
    this.age = age;

}

public String getName(){
    return name;
}

public void setName(String name){
    this.name = name;
}

public int getAge(){
    return age;
}

public void setAge(int age){
    this.age = age;
}

}

This does not:

controller.java

package people;
public class controller{
    public static void main (String[] args){

        Person mark = new Person();
        mark.setName("Mark");
        mark.setAge(24);

    }
}

I'm getting this compile error:

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_66\classes\controller.java:7: error: cannot find symbol
        Person mark = new Person();
        ^
  symbol:   class Person
  location: class controller
C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_66\classes\controller.java:7: error: cannot find symbol
        Person mark = new Person();
                          ^
  symbol:   class Person
  location: class controller

I'm researched this quite a bit and can't seem to figure it out. Am I trying to instantiate the object incorrectly in my controller.java file? Thanks.

have you set classpath correct in your compile? You need to set it to include location of folder people including compiled Person.class — Jan, Dec 02 '15 at 19:08

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 02 '15 at 19:11

0

Your class Person has a constructor that takes two parameters, a String and an int. However, you are trying to create a Person object using a constructor that takes no parameters:

Person mark = new Person();

You need to pass the parameters to the constructor:

Person mark = new Person("Mark", 24);

Ofcourse you don't need to call the set...() methods anymore after that.

The Java compiler automatically creates a constructor without parameters in a class, but only if you didn't explicitly add any constructor at all in your class.

answered Dec 02 '15 at 19:11

Jesper

202,709
46
318
350

I tried that as well, I get the same "cannot find symbol" error. – Logan Dec 02 '15 at 19:13
What I described is definititely one thing you'll have to fix. If you still get the error, then there's more that's incorrect. One thing is: if you put classes in a package, they must be in a directory that matches the package structure. Your files must be in a dir named `people`. The commands you quoted show that you didn't do this. – Jesper Dec 02 '15 at 19:14
@Jasper is right! Fix your code first! Remove your explicit constructor from Person.java end then compile using `javac Person.java controller.java` – Milan Dec 02 '15 at 19:30

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 02 '15 at 19:58

Run compiler from sources root. You must be in folder that contains "people" folder matching packager name.

Example. Java files in "D:\2\people", if current folder is "D:\2\people" and you run

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.8.0_60\bin\javac.exe" controller.java

then you will get error that you describe.

But if you change current folder to "D:\2" and run

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.8.0_60\bin\javac.exe" people\controller.java

all will be compiled. Don't forget to fix you constructors.

I have the directory that contains the 'people' folder in my classpath, do I also need to add the 'people' folder to my classpath? — Logan, Dec 03 '15 at 13:44

Basic Java - Coding in text editor, cannot create new object from a different file although they're in the same package "Cannot find symbol"

2 Answers2