c# console application unassigned local variable

Question

        int ValueOne, ValueTwo, Numchar, Total;
    Console.WriteLine("This Is A Program For doing any Of the four mathematical Proccesses");
    Console.WriteLine("You can Add , substract , Divide And Multiply");
    Console.WriteLine("When Asked Please Type The Values Or The Proccesses You Want.");
    Console.WriteLine("Please Type The First Value");
    ValueOne = Convert.ToInt32((Console.ReadLine()));
    Console.WriteLine("Please Type The Second Value");
    ValueTwo = Convert.ToInt32((Console.ReadLine()));
    Console.WriteLine("Please Enter The Number Of The Proccess/Character You Want Meaning That (1 = +) , (2 = -) , (3 = *) , (4 = /)");
    Numchar = Convert.ToInt32((Console.ReadLine()));
    if (Numchar == 1)
        Total = ValueOne + ValueTwo;
    if (Numchar == 2)
        Total = ValueOne + ValueTwo;
    if (Numchar == 3)
        Total = ValueOne * ValueTwo;
    if (Numchar == 4)
        Total = ValueOne / ValueTwo;
    Console.WriteLine("The Total Is :");
    Console.WriteLine(Total);
    Console.ReadLine();

the Console.WriteLine(Total); at the end is apparently an unassigned local variable , though it should be assigned from the Lines beneath the "If" lines, also note that I'm new in visual studio and i just started taking The Courses , also , i don't think this is a duplicate because the other post's fix Didn't Work for me.

If Numchar is 5 what is the value of Total? This is a problem for the compiler and there are duplicates for this question ad nauseam. — Steve, Jul 07 '15 at 22:03
If numchar == 5 or higher it will never be assigned to. So it is throwing an error — deathismyfriend, Jul 07 '15 at 22:03

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 07 '15 at 22:04

Let's say that your code didn't produce an error, and compiled and ran. What do you think would happen if NumChar wasn't 1, 2, 3, or 4?

Your code would never reach any of the statements in your ifs there, and would never assign an initial value to Total. Since this is entirely possible given your program (and would be impossible to check for in general -- see the Halting Problem), the error is substantiated and necessary.

c# console application unassigned local variable

1 Answers1