Exam Watch p. 316 re curly braces (K&B7)

[Mark Kevin]

Hello:

According to the exam watch, the first code snippet violates a rule for the switch and case arguments because it "uses a curly brace ...". However when I compile and run it all works fine, and according to StackOverflow, while not using curly braces in a case might make the code more readable with respect to scope, and such, it is not really an illegal violation. Also, shouldn't "uses a curly brace" be plural, ie., "uses curly braces" ? Since there are two of them... Or, perhaps they intended for there to be one curly brace missing in the case in the first example?

 class Erratas {
   public static void main(String [] args) {
      int x = 0;
      int y;      
      switch(x) {
      case 0: { // one curly brace
      y = 7;
      } // the other curly brace
   }

Also, the second snippet uses curly braces and it compiles and runs fine.

Thank you,

Mark

[Roel De Nijs]

Mark Kevin wrote:According to the exam watch, the first code snippet violates a rule for the switch and case arguments because it "uses a curly brace ...". However when I compile and run it all works fine, and according to StackOverflow, while not using curly braces in a case might make the code more readable with respect to scope, and such, it is not really an illegal violation. Also, shouldn't "uses a curly brace" be plural, ie., "uses curly braces" ? Since there are two of them... Or, perhaps they intended for there to be one curly brace missing in the case in the first example?

You should look more carefully at the code snippet. There's nothing wrong with the curly braces. Something else is missing and that's why the code snippet fails to compile.

Mark Kevin wrote:Also, the second snippet uses curly braces and it compiles and runs fine.

The 2nd code snippet fails to compile as well. It uses curly braces as well, but again something else is missing. Again look more closely!

Having an eye for detail is very important when you take the actual exam! And this Exam Watch shows why

Hope it helps!
Kind regards,
Roel

[Mark Kevin]

I know that in the first example the colon is missing (which is why I inserted it), and in the second the keyword case is missing (also inserted by me).
I put those in in order to make it compile. But that's not the issue I'm addressing. I'm speaking of the curly braces.
Here's the Exam Watch quote: " In the first example , the case uses a curly brace and omits the colon." A normal reading of this statement indicates to me that using a curly brace is an error. But it's not.

m.

[Roel De Nijs]

Mark Kevin wrote:Here's the Exam Watch quote: " In the first example , the case uses a curly brace and omits the colon." A normal reading of this statement indicates to me that using a curly brace is an error. But it's not.

Using an opening and a closing curly brace with a case is indeed not a compiler error, omiting the colon definitely is. So to avoid confusion, I'll add this one to the errata overview. On the following pages you'll see plenty of examples where a case uses curly braces.

[Mark Kevin]

Thank you, Roel. On behalf of a lot of people, your unselfish dedication and help is greatly appreciated.

Mark

[Roel De Nijs]

Added to the errata overview.