Ilegal start of type for a for loop?

Question

Why am I getting the error :java:16: error: illegal start of type for(int i = 0; i < 9; i++){ I have checked old labs and this is the correct usage of it I thought.

import javax.swing.*;
 import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;


class Lab3Panel extends JPanel{

    Lab3Panel () {

        setLayout(new GridLayout(3,3));
    }


    Lab3Label label[] = new Lab3Label[9];

    for(int i = 0; i < 9; i++){

        label[i] = new Lab3Label();
        add(label[i]);
    }

Answer 1

The for loop needs to be in a method, a constructor, or at a bare minimum, between a pair of {} brackets. But probably a constructor.

Answer 2

Your loop code is perfectly legal, but it needs to be inside a method for it to actually be interpreted as code and run. Currently its just sitting inside the class declaration along with the line before it, so the poor compiler has no idea what you want to do with that code or when you want it to run. :D