question about arguments passed to main()

[Eric Johnson]

if i use
public static void main(int[] args)
the program will compile but give an error message
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: main
if an array of int arguments is not alowed, why does the compiler not get all uppity about it?
gotta use
public static void main(String[] args)
and make a new Integer object from the and call it's intValue() method to pass integer values from the command line? is this because the int is a primitive type, and only objects can be passed as arguments to main? why does the compiler allow int[] then?
just tried Integer[] as the argument to main and it gave the same error message. is String all that is allowed as an argument? seems that, as particular as the compiler is, is would flag anything else.
[This message has been edited by Eric Johnson (edited December 13, 2001).]

[Dave Vick]

Eric
If you change the signature of the man method then all you are doing is creating an overloaded version of main. The compiler does not care if you overload a method or what you call your methods - but when you try to run the program the JVM will not be able to find the correct main method and throw an error because of that.
The compiler really can't check your main method because you don't have to have a main method in all of your classes, so the compiler gives you the benefit of the doubt and assumes you really meant to overload it and doesn't flag it.
hope that helps

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Dave
Sun Certified Programmer for the Java� 2 Platform

[Thomas Bigbee]

If you type an another signature for the main method (name + arg list) you are in fact creating another (different) main - so you may think you have an entry point into your system - but you don't - the compilier lets you compile a file without a main method in it but if you try to run that file you will get your error message: java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: main
Exception in thread "main"
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[Gregg Bolinger]

FYI - Not exactly what you are wanting to do, but this works as well
public static void main(int argn String[] args) {
}
Since args is an array, it will take in multiple values.
i.e. java myProgram now is the time
that will create a String array {"now", "is", "the", "time"}
but how do you get to each value? Well, the int argn keeps track of the array index. So args[argn] = the array.
Just a little info.


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Happy Coding,
Gregg Bolinger

[Eric Johnson]

thanx for the ifno!