Program Error: Int cannot be derefereced

Question

I am writing a program which displays a GUI for a chocolate chip cookies recipe. The user can key in the number of cookies they want, and the program will calculate and display the appropriate amount of ingredients required.
It is a program I have done myself in order to improve my skills.
There is an error in my code which I can't seem to get rid of. It says that "int cannot be derefereced" and it occurs on this line: String text = noOfCookies.getText();
I hope someone will be able to tell me what has gone wrong. Thanks for any help.
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class CookieGUI
  private int WIDTH = 450;
  private int HEIGHT = 600;
  private JFrame frame;
  private JPanel panel;
  private JLabel inputLabel, outputLabel, outputLabel2, outputLabel3,
  outputLabel4, outputLabel5, outputLabel6, outputLabel7, outputLabel8,
  outputLabel9, outputLabel10, resultLabel, resultLabel2, resultLabel3,
  resultLabel4, resultLabel5;
  private JTextField noOfCookies;
   //sets up the GUI
  public CookieGUI()
    frame = new JFrame("Choc Chip Cookie Recipe Creator.Version 1");
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    inputLabel = new JLabel ("Enter the number of cookies required: ");
    outputLabel = new JLabel ("Ingredients required: ");
    outputLabel2 = new JLabel ("Sugar: ");
    resultLabel = new JLabel ("---");
    outputLabel3 = new JLabel ("Butter: ");
    resultLabel2 = new JLabel ("---");
    outputLabel4 = new JLabel ("Self Raising Flour: ");
    resultLabel3 = new JLabel ("---");
    outputLabel5 = new JLabel ("Egg: ");
    resultLabel4 = new JLabel ("---");
    outputLabel6 = new JLabel ("Chocolate Chips: ");
    resultLabel5 = new JLabel ("---");
// Output labels for the steps go here:
    outputLabel7 = new JLabel ("Step 1 : Mix sugar, butter and "
    + "self raising flour thoroughly.");
    outputLabel8 = new JLabel ("Step 2 : Stir in egg, a few "
    + "drops of vanilla essence and chocolate chips.");
    outputLabel9 = new JLabel ("Step 3 : Roll out mixture and "
    + "cut out cookies.");
    outputLabel10 = new JLabel ("Step 4 : Bake in hot oven "
    + "(Gas Mark 6) for 10-12 minutes.");
    panel = new JPanel();
    panel.setPreferredSize (new Dimension(WIDTH, HEIGHT));
    panel.setBackground (Color.cyan);
    panel.add (inputLabel);
    panel.add (noOfCookies);
    panel.add (outputLabel);
    panel.add (outputLabel2);
    panel.add (outputLabel3);
    panel.add (outputLabel4);
    panel.add (outputLabel5);
    panel.add (outputLabel6);
    panel.add (outputLabel7);
    panel.add (outputLabel8);
    panel.add (outputLabel9);
    panel.add (outputLabel10);
    panel.add (resultLabel);
    panel.add (resultLabel2);
    panel.add (resultLabel3);
    panel.add (resultLabel4);
    panel.add (resultLabel5);
    frame.getContentPane().add (panel);
    public void display()
      frame.pack();
      frame.show();
//action listener
private class CookieListener implements ActionListener
  public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
    double sugar, butter, selfRaisingFlour, egg, vanillaEssence,
    chocolateChips;
    int noOfCookies;
    String text = noOfCookies.getText();
    noOfCookies = Integer.parseInt (text);
    sugar =(0.3334 * noOfCookies);
    noOfCookies = Integer.parseInt (text);
    butter = (0.3334 * noOfCookies);
    noOfCookies = Integer.parseInt (text);
    selfRaisingFlour = (0.6667 * noOfCookies);
    noOfCookies = Integer.parseInt (text);
    egg = (0.08334 * noOfCookies);
    noOfCookies = Integer.parseInt (text);
    chocolateChips = (0.3334 * noOfCookies);
//set all the result labels
resultLabel.setText (Double.toString (sugar));
resultLabel2.setText (Double.toString (butter));
resultLabel3.setText (Double.toString (selfRaisingFlour));
resultLabel4.setText (Double.toString (egg));
resultLabel5.setText (Double.toString (chocolateChips));
public class Cookie
//creates and displays the cookie recipe GUI
   public static void main (String[] args)
     CookieGUI chocchip = new CookieGUI();
     chocchip.display();
}

Answer 1

You dont have to instantiate it, just declaringit
is
enough..
I do believe that is false. It is assigned null if
you do not instantiate it. Meaning when youreference
it you will get a null pointer exception.Yes, that's true, but you'll still have these
shadowing problens in your code... The OP declared
(not instantiated) JTextField noOfCookies , then
declared int noOfCookies in a method. Referring to
'noOfCookies' within this method will refer to the
int.. This is true whether you instantiate the global
JTextField noOfCookies or just declare it.Right, but the lack of instantiation was pointed out as a possible solution to a second problem, once the program runs, it crashes and issues an error report. The suggestion was made to point out that the user should instantiate the noOfCookies JTextField before adding it to the GUI, and definitely before calling noOfCookies.getText(); (assuming the int was changed to another name, or she correctly referenced the textfield noOfCookies so as not to get the compile time error)