 <p>you cannot do that</p> <blockquote> <p>private ImageView[][] gameField = {{(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy1_1),(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy1_2),(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy1_3)}, {(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy2_1),(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy2_2),(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy2_3)}, {(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy3_1),(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy3_2),(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.enemy3_3)}};</p> </blockquote> <p>you should save only the id , R.id.XXX and when query the view use findViewById.</p> <p>you cannot query view by id if the view doesnt yet exists.</p>