Java error in Greenfoot: illegal start of expression

Error reference

Java error in Greenfoot: illegal start of expression

This page is part of Intro to Java with Greenfoot. It assumes you have reached lesson 1.4. Opening it is not counted against you and is not tracked as progress.

The message

illegal start of expression

What it actually means

Java found something in a place where that kind of thing is not allowed. Usually a brace problem rather than a problem on the line named.

The usual causes

Ranked by how often each one turns out to be the answer. Work down the list.

  1. A missing closing brace, so Java thinks a method is still open.
  2. A method declared inside another method, which Java does not allow.
  3. A missing parenthesis in an if condition.

How to fix it

Ignore the line number and count your braces instead. Every { needs a }. Re-indent the whole method: the place where the indentation stops making sense is where the brace is missing.

Related help

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