Loading maps for a 2d game ERROR

Question

Hi i'm trying to just get a basic map working but i keep getting and error and i'm not sure what is causing it.
Here is the code:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
class MapExample extends JFrame {
ArrayList <String> lines = new ArrayList <String> ();
int lgth;
int bdth;
String userResponse;
int level;
char[][] myMap;
public MapExample() {
readMap();
     parseMap();
     public static void main(String args[]) {
     System.out.println("Starting MapExample...");
     MapExample mainFrame = new MapExample();
     mainFrame.setSize(400, 400);
     mainFrame.setTitle("MapExample");
     mainFrame.setVisible(true);
     public void readMap () {
     FileReader readBase;
     BufferedReader in;
     String temp;
     temp = "";
     try {
     readBase = new FileReader ("level1.map");
     in = new BufferedReader (readBase);
     temp = in.readLine();
     while (temp != null) {
     lines.add(temp);
     temp = in.readLine();
catch (IOException except) {
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (null, "A Horrible Error!");
public void parseMap () {
String aLine;
aLine = "";
char tmp;
tmp = 'a';
lgth = lines.size();
bdth = lines.get(0).length();
myMap = new char[lgth][bdth];
     for (int i = 0; i < lines.size(); i++) {
     aLine = lines.get(i);
     for (int j = 0; j < aLine.length(); j++) {
     tmp = aLine.charAt(j);
     myMap [j] = tmp;     
     for (int i = 0; i < lgth; i++) {
     for (int j = 0; j < bdth; j++) {
     System.out.print (myMap[i][j]);
     System.out.println();
public void paint(Graphics g) {
     int gx, gy = 40;
     for (int i = 0; i < lgth; i++) {
     gx = 20;
     for (int j = 0; j < bdth; j++) {
     g.fillRect (gx, gy, lgth, bdth);
     switch (myMap[i][j]) {
     case '#' : g.setColor (Color.RED); break;
     case '@' : g.setColor (Color.GREEN); break;
     case '$' : g.setColor (Color.BLUE); break;
     case '.' : g.setColor (Color.BLUE); break;
     default : g.setColor (Color.BLACK); break;
     g.fillRect (gx, gy, 20, 20);
     gx += 20;
     gy += 20;                    
Sorry about the layout of the code only way i could fit it in.
The error i keep getting is:
Starting MapExample...
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException: 14
at MapExample.parseMap(MapExample.java:99)
at MapExample.<init>(MapExample.java:33)
at MapExample.main(MapExample.java:38)
Process completed.
I'm not sure why it does this?
Also here is level1.map file:
"M^^^^#####" +
"M^^^^# #" +
"M^^^^#$ #" +
"M^^### $##" +
"M^^# $ $ #" +
"M### # ## #^^^######" +
"M# # ## ##### ..#" +
"M# $ $ ..#" +
"M##### ### #@## ..#" +
"M^^^^# #########" +
"M^^^^#######"
Any help would be greatful!
Cheers Paul

Answer 1

I second the recommendation of putting your code within code tags.
See which is easier to read, this code without tags:
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Random;
class RandomLetters
private int size = 0;
private char startingChar = 'A';
private ArrayList<String> letterList;
private Random rand;
public RandomLetters(int size) throws Exception
this.size = size;
rand = new Random();
if (size % 2 != 0)
throw new Exception(
"RandomLetters requires an an even number int parameter");
resetList();
public RandomLetters(int size, char startingChar) throws Exception
this.size = size;
this.startingChar = startingChar;
rand = new Random();
if (size % 2 != 0)
throw new Exception(
"RandomLetters requires an an even number int parameter");
resetList();
public void setStartingChar(char startingChar)
this.startingChar = startingChar;
* refills the list w/ random characters.
public void resetList()
letterList = new ArrayList<String>();
for (char myChar = startingChar; myChar < startingChar + (size / 2); myChar++)
letterList.add(String.valueOf(myChar));
letterList.add(String.valueOf(myChar));
* gets a random letter from letterList then removes that
* item from the list.
* @return
public String getRandomLetter()
int randomInt = rand.nextInt(letterList.size());
String temp = letterList.get(randomInt);
letterList.remove(randomInt);
return temp;
and the same code with tags:
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Random;
class RandomLetters
    private int size = 0;
    private char startingChar = 'A';
    private ArrayList<String> letterList;
    private Random rand;
    public RandomLetters(int size) throws Exception
        this.size = size;
        rand = new Random();
        if (size % 2 != 0)
            throw new Exception(
                "RandomLetters requires an an even number int parameter");
        resetList();
    public RandomLetters(int size, char startingChar) throws Exception
        this.size = size;
        this.startingChar = startingChar;
        rand = new Random();
        if (size % 2 != 0)
            throw new Exception(
                "RandomLetters requires an an even number int parameter");
        resetList();
    public void setStartingChar(char startingChar)
        this.startingChar = startingChar;
     * refills the list w/ random characters.
    public void resetList()
        letterList = new ArrayList<String>();
        for (char myChar = startingChar; myChar < startingChar + (size / 2); myChar++)
            letterList.add(String.valueOf(myChar));
            letterList.add(String.valueOf(myChar));
     * gets a random letter from letterList then removes that
     * item from the list.
     * @return
    public String getRandomLetter()
        int randomInt = rand.nextInt(letterList.size());
        String temp = letterList.get(randomInt);
        letterList.remove(randomInt);
        return temp;
}Also, post the total error message, not just that errors occur.
good luck!
/pete