can't find method java - class

Question

So I run the following program and my cmd prompt gives me an error saying that the getDescriptions() method is not found in the DataElements class. I'm sure there's a simple solution but I'm just stuck. Here's the DataElements class:
import java.io.*;
public class DataElements
{
File file;
private int columns;
private int row;
private int length;
private String name;
private String type;
private int position;
private String[] descriptions;
public File getFile(){
return file;
}
public void setFile(File f){
file = f;
}
public int getColumns(){
return columns;
}
public void setColumns(int c){
columns = c;
}
public int getRow(){
return row;
}
public void setRow(int r){
row = r;
}
public int getLength(){
return length;
}
public void setLength(int l){
length = l;
}
public String getName(){
return name;
}
public void setName(String n){
name = n;
}
public String getType(){
return type;
}
public void setType(String t){
type = t;
}
public int getPosition(){
return position;
}
public void setPosition(int p){
position = p;
}
public String[] getDescriptions(){
return description;
}
public void setDescriptions(String[] d){
description = d;
}
}
And here's the main method. If you need the CMSReader class let me know, but the problem seems to be stuck in these two classes
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.io.*;
public class Project2{
public static void main(String[] args) throws FileNotFoundException{
Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean fileParsed = false;
String inFile;
String outFile;
if(args.length != 1){
System.out.println("Error. Enter one argument: the file that needs to be parsed.");
System.exit(0);
}
Scanner scan = new Scanner(new File(args[0]));
DataElements storage = new DataElements();
CMSReader reader = new CMSReader(scan,storage);
reader.scanTopData();
System.out.println("Input File - " + storage.getName());
System.out.println("Output File - ");//*************Look at this*********************
System.out.println("Number of Variables - " + storage.getColumns());
System.out.println("Number of Records - " + storage.getRow());
System.out.println("Record Length - " + storage.getLength());
System.out.println("Variable information:");
reader.scanVariableData();
String[] variableData = storage.getDescriptions();
for(int i = 0; i < variableData.length ; i++){
System.out.println(variableData[i]);
}
}
}
I appreciate any help. Like I said, I'm sure it's something dumb but I've been looking at this for too long.

Answer 1

The variable description is not declared in your DataElements class, which is why DataElements file cannot compile, and my guess is that you have an older compiled version (.class file) of DataElements which does not contain that method.
Recommendation:
Start working with a good IDE (IntelliJ is my personal favorite, but Eclipse and Netbeans are also good options). A good IDE, on top of all other goodies it provides, will highlight such issues in a way you won't miss.