Java if statements

Question

How come the last line of this code is not picking up the string filename in the code?

if (ressound == R.id.sound1) {
    String filename = "sound1" + ".ogg";
} else {
    String filename = "sound1" + ".ogg";
}
boolean exists = (new File(path)).exists();   
if (!exists) { new File(path).mkdirs(); }   

FileOutputStream save;
try { 
    save = new FileOutputStream(path + filename);

You'll want to fix your indentation too as proper indentation and formatting makes it much easier for both you and us to debug your code. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels
– Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Commented Feb 5, 2011 at 21:22
Oddly you are setting filename to "sound1"+".ogg" in both cases, so why have an if-else at all? — Alb
– Alb, Commented Feb 5, 2011 at 21:25
What I think is even more odd is that you seem to concatenate two strings where you could simply put it into one. The way you are doing it now calls a StringBuilder internally which would not be required if you'd put it as one string like this String filename = "sound1.ogg". — Octavian Helm
– Octavian Helm, Commented Feb 5, 2011 at 21:33

RoflcoptrException · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-05 21:24:33Z

14

You're declaring the variable in the scope of the if respectively else branch. Out of this scope the variable is not accessible.

Use this instead:

String filename;
    if (ressound == R.id.sound1) {
           filename="sound1"+".ogg";
       } else{
            filename="sound1"+".ogg";
       }
             boolean exists = (new File(path)).exists();   
             if (!exists){new File(path).mkdirs();}   

             FileOutputStream save;
             try { 
              save = new FileOutputStream(path+filename);

edited Feb 5, 2011 at 21:24

answered Feb 5, 2011 at 21:17

RoflcoptrException

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3 Comments

RoflcoptrException Over a year ago

btw I see now that bot branches are doing the same thing. Is that maybe the problem``

David Harkness Over a year ago

You don't need to initialize filename to "" as long as you assign it a value in both branches (the if and else blocks). You can use String filename; alone. Seeing an initialized value would make me expect a case where it doesn't get changed.

RoflcoptrException Over a year ago

Yes thats true. I'll change it

Alb · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-05 21:49:36Z

3

Your code as it is won't even compile as both filename variables you've declared are gone out of scope where you create the FileOutputStream.

I would do this:

private String getFilename() {
    if (ressound == R.id.sound1) {
        return "sound1"+".ogg";
    }
    return "sound1"+".ogg";
}

And then call it from your other method:

boolean exists = (new File(path)).exists();   
if (!exists){ new File(path).mkdirs(); }   

FileOutputStream save;
try { 
    save = new FileOutputStream(path+getFilename());

As I've said in the comment above I don't know why you assign the same value to filename in both cases, as in getFilename() always returns "sound1.ogg". Maybe that was your bug but I left it as you have it.

edited Feb 5, 2011 at 21:49

answered Feb 5, 2011 at 21:29

Alb

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1 Comment

Drseuss Over a year ago

also, thanks for the alternative. i just copy pasted the lines from trying to run the if statements. so the variables were the same. obv, they are suppose to be different. thanks a lot

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