Local Variables

[Deepali Pate]

I know that local variable have to be initialized explicitly. The behaviour of tehse two programs is confusing me. Please help.
-----------------------------------------
public class local1
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int x=100;
int y;
if(x<10)
y=1;
if(x>=10)
y=2;
System.out.println("Y is"+y);
}
}
This tells me y is not initialized.
--------------------------------------------
public class local2
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int i,j;
int k=0;
j=2;
k=i=j=1;
System.out.println("K is"+k);
}
}public class local2
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int i,j;
int k=0;
j=2;
k=i=j=1;
System.out.println("K is"+k);
}
}
This compiles fine.
-----------------------------------------------
Can someone explain???
Thanks

[Jamal Hasanov]

Hi, Deepali,
Let me to "decode" your code..
Your code:
===========================
public class local2 {
public static void main(String args[]){
int i,j;
int k=0;
j=2;
k=i=j=1;
System.out.println("K is"+k);
}
===========================
"Decoded" version
===========================
public class local2 {
public static void main(String args[]){
int i,j;
int k=0;
j=2;
j=1;// k=i=j=1;
j=i;
k=i;
System.out.println("K is"+k);
}
===========================
I think, it's clear, now
Jamal Hasanov
www.j-think.com

[Deepali Pate]

My ? is why it does not give compile time error though i and j are not initialized when it says local var have to be initialized.

[Paul Villangca]

From class local1:
...
if(x<10)
y=1;
if(x>=10)
y=2;
...
Even though it seems to us that y will be initialized every time the program passes through this code, the compiler has no way of knowing this. That's because it doesn't evaluate the expressions at compile-time, so it just sees two if statements. If it was something like:
...
if(x<10)
y=1;
else
y=2;
...
Then the compiler would see an if-else statement, so it's certain that y would get initialized. Note that if you changed the 'else' to 'else if(...)', you'd still get the compile-time error.

From class local2:
...
k=i=j=1;
...
Operands are evaluated left-to-right, but assignments are done right-to-left. So what happens here is that first, the operands are evaluated (stuff like determining array indices happens here.) Then j gets the value of 1. Then i gets the value of j (which is 1), and so on.

[Deepali Pate]

So can i conclude saying that Local Variables NEED NOT be initialized when they are declared(that is what i had understood before.
But they need to be initialized explicitly before the end of the local block whether thro statements like if-else or just as i=1;
Am i right???

[Paul Villangca]

Yes, you just have to initialize them before they are used.

[Deepali Pate]

Thanks,
So local varibles are not initilaized to default values implicitly. Got it.

[huanyu zhao]

public class local1{


public static void main(String args[])
{
int x=100;
int y;
if(x<10)
y=1;
else
y=2;
System.out.println("Y is"+y);
}
}
how about this ?
i don`t why but i think you must have complete( if else )to initialized local var.

[Deepali Pate]

It is not a matter of having a complete if-else black but the issue is before y is printed in the S.O.P statement it should be initialized.
If u give only if statement and if the 'if' statement return false then y will not get initialized. And unlike other variables local variable dont initialize to default value like 0 for int, false for boolean and so on. So when if return false and ur next statement tries to prnt y it finds that it is not initialized so u have to have else statement.

Originally posted by huanyu zhao:
public class local1{


public static void main(String args[])
{
int x=100;
int y;
if(x<10)
y=1;
else
y=2;
System.out.println("Y is"+y);
}
}
how about this ?
i don`t why but i think you must have complete( if else )to initialized local var.

[Paul Villangca]

Hi Huanyu,

...
if(x<10)
y=1;
else
y=2;
...

Either branch of code in this if-else statement initializes the value of y. The compiler sees this, so there's no error.