Retrieving a random item from ArrayList [duplicate]

Question

I'm learning Java and I'm having a problem with ArrayList and Random.

I have an object called catalogue which has an array list of objects created from another class called item.

I need a method in catalogue which returns all the information on one of the itemobjects in the list.
The item needs to be selected at random.

import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.Random;  public class Catalogue {     private Random randomGenerator = new Random();     private ArrayList<Item> catalogue;      public Catalogue ()     {         catalogue = new ArrayList<Item>();       }      public Item anyItem()     {         int index = randomGenerator.nextInt(catalogue.size());         System.out.println("Managers choice this week" + catalogue.get(index) + "our recommendation to you");         return catalogue.get(index);     } 

When I try to compile I get an error pointing at the System.out.println line saying..

'cannot find symbol variable anyItem'

Answer 1

anyItem is a method and the System.out.println call is after your return statement so that won't compile anyway since it is unreachable.

Might want to re-write it like:

import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.Random;  public class Catalogue {     private Random randomGenerator;     private ArrayList<Item> catalogue;      public Catalogue()     {          catalogue = new ArrayList<Item>();         randomGenerator = new Random();     }      public Item anyItem()     {         int index = randomGenerator.nextInt(catalogue.size());         Item item = catalogue.get(index);         System.out.println("Managers choice this week" + item + "our recommendation to you");         return item;     } }