Missing return statement

Question

I keep getting a missing return statement error but I don't know where. Every time I follow the code, I feel at least one of the if statements provide the return statement.

Code:

public User[] getUsersContaining(String query) {
   User[]nameSearch = new User[this.capacity];

   if(nameSearch == null)
        return null;
   for (int i=0; i<this.capacity; i++){
       if(this.array[i].getName().contains(query)){
        nameSearch[i]=this.array[i];
        bubbleSort date2 = new bubbleSort();
        date2.bubblesort(nameSearch);
        return nameSearch;
       }
   }
}

Ok, i think I understand what you mean. If i put a return statement at the end of the method will that mean that will be the final return value? When I return null at the end of the method the application gives an error so I don't know what to return otherwise. When i try an else return null after the if statement I still get the missing return statement error. Sorry I'm very new to programming. — user6036979, Mar 09 '16 at 00:33
if your function is meant to `get... ` something, you return what the function is meant to "get". Your function is called "getUsersContaining", so you should be returning the users that contain the string. — Carcigenicate, Mar 09 '16 at 00:38
The error happens because if `this.capacity` == 0, and nameSearch != null, your function won't return anything, since it never enters the loop. — Carcigenicate, Mar 09 '16 at 00:40

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 09 '16 at 00:24

A method which declares a return type must declare a return statement for every possible branch of flow of that method. Which means basically there is a flow of code possible in your method which does not end in a return statement (hint: what happens if your if statement returns false inside the loop every time? Eventually the loop will end and nothing will be returned.)

You can put a catch-all return statement at the bottom of your method doing something like returning null, or perhaps even throwing an Exception which will allow you to not "return anything"

Missing return statement

1 Answers1