How to fix an error where the compiler cannot find the symbol which is the method within a println? | Smarter Dev | Page 1

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 5:42 AM

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error: cannot find symbol
System.out.println("Enter your homework average: " + getHomeworkAverage());
The method is "getHomeworkAverage()" but the compiler is unable to find it. I am new to Java so I might be doing this totally wrong.

hollow gorge Feb 23, 2025, 11:47 AM

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Where did you define that method?

brave condor Feb 23, 2025, 12:09 PM

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what does getHomeworkAverage() return?
Maybe you return a symbol thats not available in vanilla java? 😄

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 7:48 PM

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brave condor what does getHomeworkAverage() return? Maybe you return a symbol thats not avai...

public void setHomeworkAverage(int homework)
{
this.homework = homework;
}

public int getHomeworkAverage()
{
return homework;
}

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 7:49 PM

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hollow gorge Where did you define that method?

In the class

hollow gorge Feb 23, 2025, 7:49 PM

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this.getHomeworkAverage()?

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 7:49 PM

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???

hollow gorge Feb 23, 2025, 7:50 PM

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???

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 7:51 PM

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It doesn't work

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 8:30 PM

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Better question

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How do I print a method from a class?

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OH

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 9:01 PM

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Never mind, I can't solve it

atomic cairnBOT Feb 23, 2025, 10:12 PM

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ℹ️ @hazy beacon this post has been closed. Feel free to reopen it if you have any further questions.

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 11:28 PM

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um

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@hollow gorgeAm I allowed to ask a different question for the same program here or do I have to create a new post?

hollow gorge Feb 23, 2025, 11:42 PM

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hazy beacon <@935098241089929216>Am I allowed to ask a different question for the same progr...

Whatever works for you

hazy beacon Feb 23, 2025, 11:43 PM

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well

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right now, I am having trouble getting a method to print out correctly

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It only prints as "0.0"

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So I thought about converting int into double but nothing changed

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public void setExamAverage(double examAverage)
{
double exam1Score = exam1;
double exam2Score = exam2;
double exam3Score = exam3;
examAverage = (exam1Score + exam2Score + exam3Score) / 3;
}

public double getExamAverage()
{
return examAverage;
}

public void setOverallAverage(double overallAverage)
{
double homeworkAverage = homework;
double quizAverage = quiz;
overallAverage = 015 * homeworkAverage + 0.15 * quizAverage + 0.70 * examAverage;
}

public double getOverallAverage()
{
return overallAverage;
}

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 12:37 AM

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hazy beacon public void setExamAverage(double examAverage) { double exam1Score = exam1; ...

Primitives like int, double, boolean, etc. get passed by value. Setting it when used as a parameter will make no difference to the original object's value.

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:38 AM

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homie gotta yoink the this.examAverage

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:41 AM

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cedar crag Primitives like int, double, boolean, etc. get passed by value. Setting it when ...

Oh

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:42 AM

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hollow gorge homie gotta yoink the `this.examAverage`

Remove it?

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:42 AM

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hazy beacon public void setExamAverage(double examAverage) { double exam1Score = exam1; ...

try to explain what this function is doing

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:42 AM

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hazy beacon Remove it?

Nothing changed

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:43 AM

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hollow gorge try to explain what this function is doing

Method, right?

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:43 AM

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same thing

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:46 AM

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setExamAverage() gets 3 exam scores from user input and then it gets the average
getExamAverage() returns it
setOverallAverage() takes the homework and quiz averages from the user and the exam average then gets the overall average
getOverallAverage() returns it

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:47 AM

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setExamAverage
then it gets the average
wher set

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:48 AM

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Where set?

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:48 AM

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you call it set average

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where does it set the average

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:49 AM

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In setExamAverage()? There other previous methods that gets the homework average, quiz average, and 3 exam scores and they all should work

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:49 AM

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Where do you set anything in there

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you just reassign the parameter

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:50 AM

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public int getExamScore1()
{
System.out.println("Enter your grade on the first exam: ");
int getExamScore1 = scanner.nextInt();
System.out.println(getExamScore1);
return exam1;
}

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What do you mean "reassign it"?

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:55 AM

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what

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:55 AM

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I don't know

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This language is too confusing for me

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C# is not going to confuse me too if I am having trouble with Java, right?

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 12:58 AM

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They're the same language for the most part

hollow gorge Feb 24, 2025, 12:59 AM

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hazy beacon C# is not going to confuse me too if I am having trouble with Java, right?

C# is Microsoft Java

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you can take a Java dev and have them write C# in like a few days

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 12:59 AM

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So far, C# is easy

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But I haven't learn much code

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 1:07 AM

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hazy beacon public void setExamAverage(double examAverage) { double exam1Score = exam1; ...

From this I'm guessing you have a field in your object called examAverage, which gets read with getExamAverage.

Save yourself some confusion and just use this.examAverage when referencing the field, even if it's not required. That's going to be a lot better than using some weird naming scheme for parameters like pExamAverage just to avoid this.

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 1:16 AM

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I am using this.examAverage

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Seems to work just fine without it

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 1:30 AM

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In setExamAverage you assign to the parameter (examAverage) rather than the field (this.examAverage), which is going to do nothing.

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 1:31 AM

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I removed all parameters and nothing has changed

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 1:41 AM

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Then open a debugger and see where the problem lies because it's not in assigning that value.

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Most debuggers will give you a breakdown of all fields and their values.

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 1:42 AM

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I don't have a debugger

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 1:44 AM

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What do you use to write Java?

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Cuz the main IDEs have debuggers built in.

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 1:46 AM

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TextPad

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 1:46 AM

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😒

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 2:03 AM

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So why does it keep printing 0.0?

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 2:12 AM

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How are this.exam1, this.exam2, and this.exam3 assigned?

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 2:13 AM

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hazy beacon public int getExamScore1() { System.out.println("Enter your grade on...

Because this isn't doing it.

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 2:14 AM

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this.homework = homework;
this.quiz = quiz;
this.exam1 = exam1;
this.exam2 = exam2;
this.exam3 = exam3;
this.examAverage = examAverage;
this.overallAverage = overallAverage;

cedar crag Feb 24, 2025, 2:15 AM

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But where. Would be easier to get a whole class rather than just fragments.

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 2:16 AM

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Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

private int homework, quiz, exam1, exam2, exam3;
        double examAverage, overallAverage;

public Class()
{
    this.homework = homework;
    this.quiz = quiz;
    this.exam1 = exam1;
    this.exam2 = exam2;
    this.exam3 = exam3;
    this.examAverage = examAverage;
    this.overallAverage = overallAverage;
}

hazy beacon Feb 24, 2025, 3:19 AM

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Without user input, the method still prints 0.0

#How to fix an error where the compiler cannot find the symbol which is the method within a println?