School of Computer Science &

Types of Errors
Information Technology
 Syntax errors
 Mistakes in the rules of the language itself
 Illegal Java - errors of grammar or punctuation
G6DICP - Lecture 6
 Semantic errors
 Mistakes in the logic of the code
Errors, bugs and debugging  Legal Java - but not what you intend!

Where errors show themselves Compiler Errors

 Compile-time errors  If javac gives no output, the compilation is successful
 Many syntax errors are detected by the compiler
C:\code javac fname.java
 The compiler will generate an error message - error: cannot read: fname.java
including a line number 1 error
C:\code
 Run-time errors
 Some syntax errors are detected by the VM when the
program is run  Cannot read… compiler error
 This means that the source file (fname.java) has not been read.
 Legal Java - that causes problems under certain
 Usually a typo in the file name or javac command
conditions.
 Remember Java is case sensitive!
 Logical errors  Could be file privileges
 Unexpected results - bugs!
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Compiler Errors (2) Compiler Errors (cont.)

 Most compiler errors have a file name and line number  Most compiler errors have a file name and line number
 This tells you where the error was detected  This tells you where the error was detected

File name (fname.java)

C:\code javac fname.java C:\code javac fname.java

fname.java:23: cannot resolve symbol fname.java:23: cannot resolve symbol
symbol : class string symbol : class string
location: class fname location: class fname
string msg; string msg;
^ ^
1 error 1 error
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 Compiler Errors (cont.) Compiler Errors (cont.)
 Most compiler errors have a file name and line number  Most compiler errors have a file name and line number
 This tells you where the error was detected  This tells you where the error was detected
Line number (23)
Type of error

C:\code javac fname.java C:\code javac fname.java

fname.java:23: cannot resolve symbol fname.java:23: cannot resolve symbol
symbol : class string symbol : class string
location: class fname location: class fname
string msg; string msg;
^ ^
1 error 1 error
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Compiler Errors (cont.) Compiler Errors (cont.)

 Most compiler errors have a file name and line number
 Most compiler errors have a file name and line number
 This tells you where the error was detected
 This tells you where the error was detected
Details of error Type of error Location of error

C:\code javac fname.java C:\code javac fname.java

fname.java:23: cannot resolve symbol fname.java:23: cannot resolve symbol
symbol : class string symbol : class string
location: class fname location: class fname
string msg; string msg;
^ ^
1 error 1 error
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Compiler Errors (3) Runtime Errors

 The point at which the error is detected is not  Runtime errors occur while the program is running,
always the point at which there is a mistake in although the compilation is successful
the code  Usually runtime errors consist of “exceptions” in a thread
 Errors in the main method, generate exceptions in thread “main”
 For example unbalanced braces cannot be
detected until the braces are closed Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: fname

 Compiler errors can have knock-on effects, with  NoClassDefFoundError

other “spurious” errors being caused by the first  Caused if the interpreter can’t find the named class file
 ADVICE - fix the first compiler error, and attempt to (e.g. fname.class)
compile before looking at others - they might  This is usually a typo - either in the command line, the class
declaration or the file name
disappear!
 Remember Java is case sensitive!

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 Causes of Runtime Errors Exceptions
 Errors that only become apparent during the course of  When a potential error condition occurs while a
execution of the program program is running an Exception occurs
 External Factors - e.g.  For example attempting to read from a non-existent
 Out of memory file
 Hard disk full  Exceptions are of specific types - e.g.
 Insufficient i/o privileges  ArithmeticException
 etc.
 IOException
 Internal Factors - e.g.  ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException
 Arithmetic errors
 Attempts to read beyond the end of a file
 If the program contains code to handle the
 Attempt to open a non-existent file
exception that code is triggered.
 Attempts to read beyond the end of an array  If there is no code to handle the exception then
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 etc.
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the program terminates with a runtime error

Missing Class File Null Pointer Exceptions

 This can be either a compiler error or a runtime  These are generated if your program atempts to
error! access something non-existent in memory
 If a class file used by the program is missing at  Internally these are drastic, but they can be
compile time, then a compiler error is generated triggered by extremely subtle errors
 If the program is successfully compiled, but a  They do not always provide a line number (or
class file is missing when it is run, then a run- that line might not be where the error is)
time error is generated  They can be extremely hard to debug
 NoClassDefFoundError

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Logical Errors Debugging

 The program compiles and runs, but it doesn’t  Paper helps - examine your flow charts
do what is intended  Code tools
 May be caused by:  Flags - code that tells you where you are in a program
 Some syntax errors (i.e. legal Java that  Breaks - code that stops the program
is wrong in the current context)  Watches - code that prints the contents of variables
 Errors in logical design  Debuggers
 These are “bugs”  Software that implements the above
 Term coined by Admiral Grace  Also runs code visually in “slow motion”
Hopper for anything that causes
 Built into most integrated development environments
a program to do something
unexpected  Invaluable for debugging large, complex programs
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