error: variable data might not have been initialized

Question

Im getting this error, however Im not entirely sure why, I did declare(line 6) and initialize(line 11) the variable, yet I still get the error. the code is as follows:

public static char ReadChar (String prompt, boolean gui) {
    // Enter (prompt, True) for gui popup, else enter prompt and false

    // set up data and objects
    Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
    char data;
    String dataGui, strData;


    // prompt for an input int value
    if (gui == true){

        dataGui = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, prompt);
        data = dataGui.charAt(0);

    }

    else {
        System.out.print(prompt);
        strData = input.nextLine();

    }
    return data;

}

what if `if` statement is false then only else part is executed so data is not initialized — singhakash, Dec 30 '15 at 05:57
`char data;` you need to initialize `data`. You can use `char data = 0` — Ruchira Gayan Ranaweera, Dec 30 '15 at 05:58

bNd · Answer 1 · 2015-12-30T06:03:15.667

1

Assign data varible value. as data is assigned if gui is true but what if data is false. so either u hava to assign in else or at a time of declaration. as to avoid mistake you need assign local varible. Java doesnt forces to initialize instance variable and allows default value but for local variables its the developers call to assign the value.

 char data = 0;

edited Dec 30 '15 at 06:03

answered Dec 30 '15 at 05:56

bNd

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well that was easy. thank you so much – Bekah Marie Dec 30 '15 at 05:58
I thought because it was a char i couldn't set it to 0 but it just compiled :D – Bekah Marie Dec 30 '15 at 05:59
@BekahMarie - Check [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/26446512/can-assign-integer-value-to-char-but-cant-assign-integer-variable-to-char) question and [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21317631/java-char-int-conversions?lq=1) – TheLostMind Dec 30 '15 at 06:03
@BekahMarie you can initialize a `char` in `Java` `char c=0`.Which will give you an empty value of character – Ruchira Gayan Ranaweera Dec 30 '15 at 06:04

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 30 '15 at 06:08

0

You have not initialized char.

char data = '\0';

or

char data = 0;

edited Dec 30 '15 at 06:08

Ruchira Gayan Ranaweera

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answered Dec 30 '15 at 05:57

Shriram

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error: variable data might not have been initialized

2 Answers2