Hi,

Despite the fact that I can see the file in the data folder in my sketch folder everytime I run my sketch I get a nullpoint exception. It doesn't make sense to me because my file structure is correct. I'm using processing on a Mac running Lion, if that helps. Here's my code, it's rough as I'm just getting this project off the ground:

1. // Global Varibales
   String[] named = loadStrings("names.txt");
   String[] wordOne = { "some ", "people ", "love ", "you "};
   String[] wordTwo = {"can ", "you ", "smell ", "cheese "};
   
   
   String theName = " ";
   String theNameFin;
   String first = " ";
   String firstFin;
   String sec = " ";
   String secFin;
   String fin;
   
   int stepper = 0;
   int wordNum = 0;
   int cntr = 0; // counter for the if loops in each word choice
   
   
   void setup()
   {
     size(700, 200);
     smooth();
     PFont font = loadFont("Arial-Black-20.vlw");
     frameRate(30);
     background(0);
   }
   
   
   void draw()
   {
     background(0);
    
     // Set the Name
     if (wordNum == 0)
     {
       theName = named[stepper];
       theNameFin = theName;
       cntr++;
       if (cntr == 10)
       {
         theName = theNameFin;
         wordNum = 1;
         cntr = 0;
       }
     }
     // Set the first word
     if (wordNum == 1)
     {
       first = wordOne[stepper];
       firstFin = first;
       cntr++;
       println(cntr);
       if (cntr == 10)
       {
         first = firstFin;
         wordNum = 2;
         cntr = 0;
       }
     }
   
     // set the second word
     if (wordNum == 2)
     {
       sec = wordTwo[stepper];
       secFin = sec;
       cntr++;
       if (cntr == 10)
       {
         sec = secFin;
         wordNum = 3;
         cntr = 0;
       }
     }
     println(first + sec);
    
     fin = messageFor.concat(first + sec);
   //  first.concat(sec); // Concatanate all the strings into one final string
     textSize(20);
     textAlign(LEFT);
     text(fin, 20, 100); //Print the final string to the window
   
     // Re set the stepper to 0 so I don't get a Null pointer exception error in case of -1 return
     stepper++;
     if (stepper>3)
     {
       stepper = 0;
     }
    
     // This is a means of keeping the loop running for animation testing
     if (wordNum == 3)
     {
       int wee = int(random(0, 30));
       println(wee);
       if(wee == 3)
     {
       wordNum =0;
       named = " ";
       first = " ";
       sec = " ";
      
     }
     }
   }