java - How to make variables usable by other methods -

i'm trying make program calculates number of days between day today , day of birth (well, i'm still learning idea not bright). program takes date written user keyboard , calculates difference later outputted. i've made getdifference method calculates that.

the issue is, need variable day, month , year (inputted user) later used getdifference method. know, variables inside methods local, eclipse told me convert them static variables - guess that's not best idea, because (at least think so) initiated default values , answer 0.

the question - how possible make value might not static , can used in method ? i've tried setters,getters, think easier way, couldn't find it. have started coding not long time ago, directions , tips appreciated, because honest don't know java developer, cannot give code check.

public class howmanydaystest {        static string yearinstr;      static string monthinstr;      static string dayinstr;      static string strlong;      static long daysbetween;      temporal birthday;       public void getdifference() {      localdate today = localdate.now();      try{       birthday = localdate.of(integer.valueof(dayinstr),integer.valueof(monthinstr), integer.valueof(yearinstr));       }      catch(numberformatexception ex) {          system.out.println("error");      }      try{      daysbetween = chronounit.days.between(birthday, today); }       catch(nullpointerexception e) {      system.out.println("error"); }      strlong = long.tostring(daysbetween);      system.out.println(strlong);      system.out.println(daysbetween);      system.out.println(birthday);      }   public howmanydaystest() {      jframe frame= new jframe("how many days?");     jlabel question= new jlabel("please enter date of birth");     jtextfield d = new jtextfield("dd");     jtextfield m = new jtextfield("mm");     jtextfield y = new jtextfield("yyyy");     jlabel ans= new jlabel();     frame.setvisible(true);     frame.setsize(500, 500);     frame.setdefaultcloseoperation(jframe.exit_on_close);     frame.setlayout(new borderlayout());     frame.add(question,borderlayout.north);     frame.add(d,borderlayout.west);     frame.add(m,borderlayout.center);     frame.add(y,borderlayout.east);     frame.add(ans,borderlayout.south);      d.addfocuslistener(new focuslistener() {          @override         public void focusgained(focusevent arg0) {             d.settext("");          }          @override         public void focuslost(focusevent e) {             // todo auto-generated method stub          }      });      m.addfocuslistener(new focuslistener() {          @override         public void focusgained(focusevent arg0) {             m.settext("");          }          @override         public void focuslost(focusevent e) {             // todo auto-generated method stub          }      });     y.addfocuslistener(new focuslistener() {          @override         public void focusgained(focusevent arg0) {             y.settext("");          }          @override         public void focuslost(focusevent e) {             // todo auto-generated method stub          }      });     d.addactionlistener(new actionlistener() {          @override         public void actionperformed(actionevent e) {              dayinstr = d.gettext();             integer.parseint(dayinstr);          }      });     m.addactionlistener(new actionlistener() {          @override         public void actionperformed(actionevent e) {              monthinstr = m.gettext();           }      });     y.addactionlistener(new actionlistener() {          @override         public void actionperformed(actionevent e) {              yearinstr = y.gettext();             odp.settext(strlong);          }      });   }    public static void main(string[] args) {      howmanydaystest app = new howmanydaystest();     app.getdifference();  }  } 

declare day, month , year text fields instance variables , access them in getdifference() method.