 <p>If you're trying to use the general pattern of having ALPHANUMBER and ALPHA[NUMBER] refer to the same variable, you can't do it. The square bracket notation in Java refers to an element in an array, while the first is just a general identifier that can refer to a variable. </p> <p>In the specific case of creating two variables, one a direct reference and the other an element in an array, you can simply point <code>r[1] = r1</code> (as long as <code>r1</code> has been initialized). </p>