Random word from array list

Question

I'm having an issue initiating a random word from the array. I'm not sure how to refer to the words arraylist to fetch from it. Can someone put me in the right direction for my getRandomWord class? Thanks!

A method getRandomWord which takes nothing as input and returns a random String from words. Remember that you can use the Random class to do this.

import java.io.*; 
import java.util.*;
import java.util.Random;
public class WordList{
  private ArrayList<String> words;
  //Construct String from file
  public static void constructor(String filename) throws IOException{
  ArrayList words = new ArrayList();
  BufferedReader read = new BufferedReader(new FileReader("filename"));
  String line = read.readLine();
    while (line != null){
      words.add(line);
      //line = reader.readline();
    }
  }
  public static void getRandomWord(){
Random rand = new Random();
String randomWord = words.get(rand.nextInt(words.size));
}
}

Solution

This will help you I think It's able to get a random word from an array of strings

private static String[] names = { "Terminator", "Slicer","Ninja", "cow", "Robot", "littlegirl" };
name = names[(int) (Math.random() * names.length)];
System.out.println(name);

Comments

[answerSeeker]

So you're trying to get a random word from a file and output it?

[Hollis Waite]

Member variables (e.g. 'words') cannot be referenced from static methods (e.g. 'getRandomWord()'). Either declare 'words' as static or remove 'static' keyword from method signature.

[Clad Clad]

you should use something like : int rand= minimum + (int)(Math.random()*maximum);

[answerSeeker]

Try this link maybe it will help you here

[Admin]

@TatakaiWasumi Indeed. From what I understand the first part of my code takes words from a file and puts them in an arraylist. The second part of my code needs to generate a random number and from that, output the corresponding word in the arraylist. I'm having issues with the fact that words is private... Says I can't reach it from getRandomWord

[answerSeeker]

Ok, thanks for the clearing that out

[answerSeeker]

what happens when you make your array list static? public static ArrayList<String> words; `

[Holger]

Your method lacks a return statement. And the return type; it should be String instead of void.

[Admin]

@TatakaiWasumi Thank you, that helped! I'm getting closer... Now the error I get has to do with the size of arraylist words:"Size has private access in java.util.arraylist"in my getRandomWord class.

[answerSeeker]

Did you already figure it out? if not, what do u have in main()?

[Holger]

@user3062703: Use the size() method, not the private field.

[Admin]

Got it! Thank you @tatakai wasumi

[answerSeeker]

No problem. I hope your issue is fixed

[jobukkit]

@user3062703 You should click the checkmark to indicate that this answer solved your question.