Initializing arrays.

I have a class which contains a 2-d boolean array as private member. The class also contains a static array of 7 instances of the class, the only instances that will ever exist. And I have a static block to create that array:

Code:

---

class TetrisBlock
{
        private boolean[][] blockLook;

        private TetrisBlock()
        {
        }

        private static TetrisBlock[] blocks;

        static {
                blocks = new TetrisBlock[7];
                blocks[0] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[0].blockLook = { { true,  true,  true,  true},        // ####
                                                                {false, false, false, false} };        // ----
                blocks[1] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[1].blockLook = { { true,  true,  true, false},        // ###-
                                                                { true, false, false, false} };        // #---
                blocks[2] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[2].blockLook = { { true, false, false, false},        // #---
                                                                { true,  true,  true, false} };        // ###-
                blocks[3] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[3].blockLook = { {false,  true,  true, false},        // -##-
                                                                { true,  true, false, false} };        // ##--
                blocks[4] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[4].blockLook = { { true,  true, false, false},        // ##--
                                                                {false,  true,  true, false} };        // -##-
                blocks[5] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[5].blockLook = { {false,  true, false, false},        // -#--
                                                                { true,  true,  true, false} };        // ###-
                blocks[6] = new TetrisBlock();
                blocks[6].blockLook = { { true,  true, false, false},        // ##--
                                                                { true,  true, false, false} };        // ##--
        }

---

The compiler says this code is not correct. It gives me the following error:
TetrisBlock.java:17: illegal start of expression
blocks[0].blockLook = { { true, true, true, true}, // ####

It gives me the same error for all similar lines.

What am I doing wrong? Isn't this the way to directly initialize arrays?

Thanks in advance.

I think you need to initialize while you declare, or else you need a set method to assign the initial values. This compiles:

Code:

---

class TetrisBlock
{
        public static boolean[][] get(int aBlockLook){
                return blockLook[aBlockLook];//aBlockLook between 0 and 6
        }

        private TetrisBlock(){
        }

        private static boolean[][][] blockLook = {
                { { true,  true,  true,  true},        // ####
                  {false, false, false, false} },

                { { true,  true,  true, false},        // ###-
                  { true, false, false, false} },

                { { true, false, false, false},        // #---
                  { true,  true,  true, false} },

                { {false,  true,  true, false},        // -##-
                  { true,  true, false, false} },

                { { true,  true, false, false},        // ##--
                  {false,  true,  true, false} },

                { {false,  true, false, false},        // -#--
                  { true,  true,  true, false} },

                { { true,  true, false, false},        // ##--
                  { true,  true, false, false} }
        };
}

---

It should be addressable as blockLook[0] through blockLook[6] within the class. But you might want a 2D array getter like I added.

Merry Christ-mas

Strange, I was quite sure this should work by the language definition.

Thanks for your suggestions though. I'll remember it for the future, I have already solved my current problem simply by typing more :rolleyes:

I dont think the problem is with the actual initialization of the array. The way Phenix has pointed out to me would be the same as using a static{} initializer. When the class loads all initialization expressions and initializer blocks should be executed in the order that they were declared.

Code:

---

class A{
  public static void main(String[] args){
  B b = new B();
  B.printValues();

  }
 }

 class B{
 private static String[] s = new String[5];
 
 static {
    s[0] = "One";
    s[1] = "Two";
    s[2] = "Three";
    s[3] = "Four";
    s[4] = "Five";
  }
  public static void printValues(){
  for(int i = 0; i < s.length; i++){
    System.out.println(s[i]);
  }
 }
}

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