ItemListener problems

Question

Hi guys,
having problems with ItemListener, seems the compiler doesn't recognize the variable. Here's the code ...
public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent ie)
          String arg = e.getActionCommand();
             //have also tried ie.getActionCommand();
                  if(arg == "Red")
                  setBackground(Color.red);
                  if(arg == "Yellow")
                  setBackground(Color.yellow);
                  if(arg == "Cyan")
                  setBackground(Color.cyan);
                  if(arg == "Magenta")
                     setBackground(Color.magenta);
     }The error message I get is this ...
Buttons.java:90: cannot find symbol
symbol : variable e
location: class Buttons
          String arg = e.getActionCommand();
          ^
or this one ...
Buttons.java:83: cannot find symbol
symbol : method getActionCommand()
location: class java.awt.event.ItemEvent
          String arg = ie.getActionCommand();
I guess I'm a little confused as how to use these methods, Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

OK let me start over ...
I have a textbook assignment, it requires me to add to provided code to produce a frame with five buttons that change the background color of the frame ... I have that working correctly ... here is the code...
     Chapter 6:     Buttons
     Programmer:     Doc Thompson
     Date:          12 Jan 07
     Filename:     Buttons1.java
     Purpose:     Enhancing this frame
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class Buttons extends Frame implements ActionListener
     public Buttons()
          //set the layout
          setLayout(new BorderLayout(20,10));
           //Add buttons
           Button red = new Button("Red");
           red.addActionListener(this);
           Button yellow = new Button("Yellow");
           yellow.addActionListener(this);
           Button cyan = new Button("Cyan");
           cyan.addActionListener(this);
           Button magenta = new Button("Magenta");
           magenta.addActionListener(this);
           Button white = new Button("White");
           white.addActionListener(this);
          add(red, BorderLayout.NORTH);
          add(yellow, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
          add(cyan, BorderLayout.EAST);
          add(magenta, BorderLayout.WEST);
          add(white, BorderLayout.CENTER);
          //override the windowClosing event
          addWindowListener(
               new WindowAdapter()
                    public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e)
                            System.exit(0);
        public static void main(String[] args)
             // set frame properties
          Buttons f = new Buttons();
           f.setTitle("Border Application");
           f.setBounds(200,200,300,300);
         f.setVisible(true);
         f.setBackground (Color.red);
   public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
        String arg = e.getActionCommand();
        if(arg == "Red")
        setBackground(Color.red);
        if(arg == "Yellow")
        setBackground(Color.yellow);
        if(arg == "Cyan")
        setBackground(Color.cyan);
        if(arg == "Magenta")
        setBackground(Color.magenta);
        if(arg == "White")
        setBackground(Color.white);
} ...now I need to remove the center button and replace it with a choice component named colors, add an itemlistener to the choice component, add the choice comp to the center area of the BorderLayout, then write the ItemStateChanged() method to test for button clicks(it states to use the same code as in the actionPerformed() method.
So that is what I am trying to accomplish but I get the previously described errors. I thought that I was declaring the "ie" variable and assigning it to the ItemStateChanged() method, but it isn't recognizing the method . That is why I am at a loss. here is the code after I updated it ....
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class Buttons extends Frame implements ActionListener, ItemListener
     public Buttons()
          //set the layout
          setLayout(new BorderLayout(20,10));
           //Add buttons
           Button red = new Button("Red");
           red.addActionListener(this);
           Button yellow = new Button("Yellow");
           yellow.addActionListener(this);
           Button cyan = new Button("Cyan");
           cyan.addActionListener(this);
           Button magenta = new Button("Magenta");
           magenta.addActionListener(this);
                Choice colors = new Choice();
                colors.add("Red");
               colors.add("Yellow");
               colors.add("Cyan");
               colors.add("Magenta");
               colors.addItemListener(this);
          add(red, BorderLayout.NORTH);
          add(yellow, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
          add(cyan, BorderLayout.EAST);
          add(magenta, BorderLayout.WEST);
          add(colors,BorderLayout.CENTER);
          //override the windowClosing event
          addWindowListener(
               new WindowAdapter()
                    public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e)
                            System.exit(0);
        public static void main(String[] args)
             // set frame properties
          Buttons f = new Buttons();
           f.setTitle("Border Application");
           f.setBounds(200,200,300,300);
         f.setVisible(true);
         f.setBackground (Color.red);
   public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
        String arg = e.getActionCommand();
        if(arg == "Red")
        setBackground(Color.red);
        if(arg == "Yellow")
        setBackground(Color.yellow);
        if(arg == "Cyan")
        setBackground(Color.cyan);
        if(arg == "Magenta")
        setBackground(Color.magenta);
     public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent ie)
          String arg = ie.getActionCommand();
                  if(arg == "Red")
                  setBackground(Color.red);
                  if(arg == "Yellow")
                  setBackground(Color.yellow);
                  if(arg == "Cyan")
                  setBackground(Color.cyan);
                  if(arg == "Magenta")
                     setBackground(Color.magenta);
}I don't understand what I am doing incorrectly, and any assistance would be greatly appreciated. (Thanks BZ for your previous suggestions)