Object creation across multiple files (Java) -

so have 2 files called employee.java , write.java (these 2 within same package). within employee.java have

public class employee {     private string firstname = "test";     private string lastname = "ing";      public employee(string first, string last) {         firstname = first;         lastname = last;     }      public employee(employee copy) {         firstname = copy.firstname;         lastname = copy.lastname;     } } 

then within write.java want create object of type employee called temp. like

public void obtaininfo(employee temp) {     string firstname = temp.firstname;     string lastname = temp.lastname; } 

however error tells me cannot find symbol in line is.

public void obtaininfo(employee temp) { 

i wondering went wrong can't create object within different files. despite them being in same package can't access them?

i want able incorporate later on me build text file reading array list, figured first start reading single line object.

it sounds me trying set can make copy of employee , able write properties text file. won't write text file think may clear things you.

public class employee {     private string firstname;     private string lastname;      public employee(string firstname, string lastname) {         this.firstname = firstname;         this.lastname = lastname;     }      public employee(employee copy) {         firstname = copy.firstname;         lastname = copy.lastname;     }      public string getfirstname() {         return firstname;     }      public void setfirstname(string firstname) {         this.firstname = firstname;     }      public string getlastname() {         return lastname;     }      public void setlastname(string lastname) {         this.lastname = lastname;     }      @override     public string tostring() {         final stringbuilder sb = new stringbuilder();         sb.append("employee");         sb.append("{firstname='").append(firstname).append('\'');         sb.append(", lastname='").append(lastname).append('\'');         sb.append('}');         return sb.tostring();     } } 

testclass.java

public class testclass {      public static void main(string[] args){         //first have have 1 copy         employee emp = new employee("joe", "dirt");          //now have copy         employee emp2 = new employee(emp);          //calls employee.tostring() method , sends system.out         system.out.println("employee 1 : " + emp);         system.out.println("copy of employee 1 : " + emp2);     } }