confused about finally

[Karu Raj]

class Test23
{
static String raid ( )
{
try
{
throw new Exception ( ) ;
}
catch ( Exception e )
{
int i = 1 / 0 ;
return " Error " ;
}
finally
{
return " Peace " ;
}
}
public static void main ( String args [ ] )
{
System . out . println ( raid ( ) ) ;
}
}

the output i got is
---------- Javac ----------
Test23.java:17: warning: finally clause cannot complete normally
}
^
1 warning

-------------------------------------------
But in the mock question the answer is given as "Peace " would be printed.

Please help me out in this

[marc weber]

Using 1.5, I don't get any warnings. Even so, you should still be able to run this.

[Fes D Gaur]

If I comment out the 'return "Error" ' and or 'return "Peace" ' lines from this program it gives an error:

C:\Java\JavaCert\Test23.java:21: missing return statement
}
^
1 error

Why is the return statement needed here?

[John Windberg]

Doesn't look like you quite have this setup correctly.

You are throwing an error manually within the try, but then have another error in the finally that you are not catching.

Something like this shows the flow a bit better:

static String raid() {
String returnString = null;
try {
throw new Exception();
} catch (Exception e) {
int i = 1 / 0;
returnString = " Error ";
} finally {
returnString = " Peace ";
}
return returnString;
}

The error gets thrown completely.

However, this is a cleaner example of finally...

static String raid() {
String returnString = null;
try {
returnString = " Success ";
int i = 1 / 0;
} catch (Exception e) {
returnString = " Error ";
} finally {
returnString = " Peace ";
}
return returnString;
}

The string starts blank, during the try gets set to " Success", but an error occurs, changing it to " Error", but then the finally block runs, after the error, changing it to " Peace ", which is then returned.

[A Kumar]

Hi karthik,

I am able to compile and run you code in j2sdk1.4..

output is "Peace"....

In the event of a return in try / catch and return also exists in finally...

the return of finally is considered...and the return of try/catch block is

ignored..

Hope you got it!!!

Regards

[Karu Raj]

hi A kumar

i dont understand why peace is printed only .though an exception is been thrown in try and is caught in catch {}.so the return value has to printed ???

[A Kumar]

Hi Karthik,

As i had mentioned....if there is a return in both try or catch and finally... the return of try or catch is ignored...

because if that the return is proceeded with ....then finally cannot be executed..Of course...you can ask that it can execute finally and ignore...the return in finally block and execute the return of try/catch..

But the finally block has a special significant in the sense that it should be executed with or without exceptions..

here i have modified your code so that ...finally doesnt return...

  
 
public class FinallyDoubt {
    static String raid() {
        try {
           
            throw new Exception();
            //return "No error";
            
        } catch (Exception e) {
           // int i = 1 / 0; //throwing another exception
            return " Error ";
        } finally {
            //return " Peace ";
        }
    }
    
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        System.out.println(raid());
    }
}