Can someone tell me whats wrong with my code, it gives me the following error

[thatos]

The code is below

import java.io.*;
class Storage{
	int num = 0;
	String name = null;
}

public class gift1 {
	public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException{
		
		BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new FileReader("e:/gift1.in"));
		PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("e:/gift1.out")));
		int number = Integer.parseInt(in.readLine());
		Storage array[] = new Storage[number];
		String inp;
		for(int i =0;i<number;i++){
			inp = in.readLine();
			array[i].name = inp;
		}
		
		for (int i = 0;i<number;i++){
			String person = in.readLine();
			String content[] = in.readLine().split(" ");
			int amount = Integer.parseInt(content[0]);
			int divider = Integer.parseInt(content[1]);
			int givenamount;
			if (divider == 0){
				givenamount = 0;
			}
			else{
				givenamount = amount/divider;
			}
			for(int j=0;j<divider;j++){
				String given = in.readLine();
				for(Storage k:array){
					if (given.equals(k.name)){
						k.num += givenamount;
					}
				}
				
			}
			for(Storage j:array){
				if (j.name.equals(person)){
					j.num += amount - divider*givenamount;
				}
			}
			
		}
		for (Storage i:array){
			out.write(i.name+" "+i.num+"\n");
		}
		out.close();
		System.exit(0);	
	}

}

This is the error which it gives me

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
	at gift1.main(gift1.java:23)

[r035198x]

When you do [CODE=java] Storage array[] = new Storage[number];[/CODE]
every element in the array is null.
So when you proceed with array[i].name = ... you are essentially doing
null.name = ... Now always remember that you will always get null pointer exception if you dot a null.
You need to intialize all the objects in the array first before you start dereferencing (dotting) them.

[JosAH]

In the following line you allocate an array that can hold Storage objects:

[code=java]
Storage array[] = new Storage[number];
[/code]

... but none of the elements is pointing to a Storage object yet, they all point to
nothing, i.e. null; hence the runtime exception.

kind regards,

Jos

[JosAH]

Darn, too slow again; are people peeking over my shoulder when I type a reply?

kind regards,

Jos

[r035198x]

Darn, too slow again; are people peeking over my shoulder when I type a reply?

kind regards,

Jos

Not many people, just me.

[thatos]

So how can I solve the problem please help

[r035198x]

So how can I solve the problem please help

You need to intialize all the objects in the array first before you start dereferencing (dotting) them.

. .

[thatos]

How can I initialize them? What I know is that those names cannot be more than ten and must be greater than or equals two.

. .

[thatos]

How can I initialize since I just know that the number of peoples in the group are greater or equals 2 but may not be more than 10?

. .

[sukatoa]

How can I initialize since I just know that the number of peoples in the group are greater or equals 2 but may not be more than 10?

Will you post your gift1.in and gift1.out file?

regards,
sukatoa

[Laharl]

If it can't be more than 10, initialize the array to 10 elements. Then set as many as you can, and anytime you access from the array, check to make sure the element isn't null.

[r035198x]

Why not create a constructor for your Storage class that takes a String.

[CODE=java]public Storage(String name) {
this.name = name;
}[/CODE]

Then instead of
[CODE=java]array[i].name = imp;[/CODE]
yo do
[CODE=java]array[i] = new Storage(imp); [/CODE]
The last line above there creates a new Storage object, sets its name to imp and initializes the ith element of the array to be that new Storage object.