Basic error troubleshooting

Question

I am posting as a newbie trying to understand the programming errors I am creating in my code. I posted last week concerning an error message I was receiving in a simple program I was creating while trying to learn from the "Learning Java" book. Everyone was very helpful then. I have another programming error I am attempting to understand and would appreciate any help you guys can provide.
In my current project I have an error message that states "<identifyer> expected". This is occurring at the end of my code at this line:
   Synchronized private Color currentColor() {
        return someColors[colorIndex];
    }Here is the complete program:
* HelloJava3.java
* Created on February 2, 2007, 3:57 PM
* To change this template, choose Tools | Template Manager
* and open the template in the editor.
package hellojava3;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
* @author singraham
public class HelloJava3 {
     * Creates a new instance of HelloJava3
    public HelloJava3() {
     * @param args the command line arguments
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("HelloJava2");
        frame.getContentPane().add(new HelloComponent2("Hello, Java!"));
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setSize(300, 300);
        frame.setVisible(true);
class HelloComponent3 extends JComponent
        implements MouseMotionListener, ActionListener
    String theMessage;
    int messageX = 125, messageY = 95; // Coordinates of the message
    JButton theButton;
    int colorIndex;  // Current index into someColors
    static Color[] someColors = {
        Color.black, Color.red, Color.green, Color.blue, Color.magenta };
    publick HelloComponent3(String message) {
        theMessage = message;
        theButton = new JButton("Change Color");
        setLayout(new FlowLayout());
        add(theButton);
        theButton.addActionListener(this);
        addMouseMotionListener(this);
    public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
        g.drawString(theMessage, messageX, messageY);
    public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent e) {
        messageX = e.getX();
        messageY = e.getY();
        repaint();
    public void mouseMoved(MouseEvent e) {
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        // Did somebody push our button?
        if (e.getSource() == theButton)
            changeColor();
    synchronized private void changeColor() {
        // Change the index to the next color, awkwardly.
        if (++colorIndex == someColors.length)
            colorIndex = 0;
        setForeground(currentColor()); // Use the new color.
        repaint();
    Synchronized private Color currentColor() {
        return someColors[colorIndex];
}I have been reading where this error is an indicator that there is a missing { or } somewhere above where this error is occurring. I am really going blind trying to see such an omission but I cannot see any missing brackets. I have counted and recounted and to the best of my knowledge I have matched all opening brackets { with a closing bracket } yet this error is still present.
Can anyone point out what I obviously am missing? Is there a simple way to track down some of these beginning errors or is there a way as a newbie to format the code when I create it so I can minimize the chances of these basic errors? I am using NetBeans 5.5 to write these programs and am not too adept at using that program yet either. I would appreciate any comments anyone may have.
Thanks,
Steve

Answer 1

int colorIndex;As far as I see you do not initialize it. Initialize
it, in your constructor, to the index corresponding
to the initial foreground color.Oh, ok I understand what you are saying. I am working through the O'Reilley "Learning Java" book. This program is one of the programs from Chapter 2. I have been pretty much typing what the book has been telling me to type without knowing too much about why I am doing it. I am not sure why they did not want me to "initialize" the color as you say. I am sure when I get into some more of the later chapters they will explain this in more detail.
Thanks,
Steve