compiling error with a variable declaration

[kiennjal shah]

Hello,

I have the following code:

public class SwitchCaseChar
{
public void displayChar(char ch)
{
public static final char character = 'b'; //line 5
 
switch(character)
{
case('a'):
{
System.out.println("this is character a");
break;
}
case('b'):
{
System.out.println("this is character b");
break;
}
case('c'):
{
System.out.println("this is character c");
break;
}
default:
                        {
System.out.println("No character matched!");
break;
                         }
}
}
 
public static void main (String [] args)
{
SwitchCaseChar scc = new SwitchCaseChar();
scc.displayChar('a');
}
}

ok, so originally, line 5 was not there at all. However (i dunno why!!!) but I thought of doing what I did above and doing so generated a compile error:
-----------------------------------------------------

C:\code>javac SwitchCaseChar.java
SwitchCaseChar.java:5: illegal start of expression
public static final char character = 'b';
^
1 error
-----------------------------------------------------

however, when i removed public static final from the initialization on line 5, it just works fine.

Any idea as to why that is happening?

Thanks

Kiennjal
[ March 30, 2005: Message edited by: kiennjal shah ]

[Layne Lund]

The keywords "public" and "static" are meant to be used with member variables. A member variable is one that is declared in a class but outside of any method. When you declare a variable inside a method, as you are doing here, it is called a "local variable". You cannot use "public" or "static" with local variables.

Layne

[kiennjal shah]

is it something to do with the local variables or the switch case requiring it to be a constant...?

Prolly something silly that I am overlooking?

Any input will be appreciated.

thx

[kiennjal shah]

Layne,

thanks, thats what i was thinking and by the time I posted my thoughts u had also replied.



-Kiennjal