Creating an array of objects sets them all to null?

Question

I am using the following code:
public class PlayerTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Player[] p = new Player[1];
        System.out.println(p[0].getId());
}and for the 'Player' object:
public class Player {
    int id;
    String name;
    int prediction;
    int score;
    public Player() {
        this.name = "a";
        this.score = -1;
        this.id = genRanId();
        this.prediction = -1;
...and, when i try to execute the "PlayerTest" class, i get the error:
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
        at PlayerTest.main(PlayerTest.java:5)I think this is because when the array of player objects is created, they are all set to null, and the fields are not created. How do i get the program to initialise the fields in each player object of the array?
Creating the array of Player objects doesnt seem to use the constructor for the player class like creating an indivdual one does for some reason, as if i create a single element, instead of an array of them, it works fine....
Please help!

Answer 1

Yes you are quite right they are null by default (that is nothing is assigned to the array of pointers you have created) you will have t initialise the array the array
        Player[] p = new Player[1];
        for(int i=0;i<p.length;i++)p[i] = new Player();
    //or you can do
   Player[] p = {new Player(),new Player()};(IMHO) Its pointless having an array like this with identical objects you are betteroff instantiating the Person class using a constructor that takes some initial parameters however it is up to you.
Good luck
Wiraj