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sandro mirijanashvili
2,686 Pointsboolean isHit = false;
i don't really understand what does it means , why do we write like that in this video ? what does it means that it's false ?
2 Answers
Livia Galeazzi
Java Web Development Techdegree Graduate 21,083 PointsIn this case "false" is just a default value. It means the "isHit" variable is declared with this default value. If the bit of code in the "try" block runs without error, this default value will be replaced by the correct value by the "isHit = game.applyGuess(guess);" statement. If the bit in the "try" block throws an error instead, then line in the try block won't run and the isHit variable will keep its default "false" value. The point here is that the isHit variable MUST have a value. Otherwise you can't use it in the return statement at the end of the method. So you declare it with this default value, and then if no exception is thrown the default value will be overwritten.
ray brown
3,592 Points@sandro mirijanashvili I tried an experiment:
boolean isHit; // Not initialize it at all, actually except that exactly same code with Craig's
and it yields an error like this:
./Prompter.java:28: error: variable isHit might not have been initialized
return isHit;
^
1 error
Arcee Palabrica
8,100 PointsArcee Palabrica
8,100 PointsI used isHit = true; and it works fine.. or is it?
Steven Morimoto
Courses Plus Student 1,836 PointsSteven Morimoto
Courses Plus Student 1,836 PointsI was wondering if isHit needs a default value because the return type is a boolean or is it because of something else?
Livia Galeazzi
Java Web Development Techdegree Graduate 21,083 PointsLivia Galeazzi
Java Web Development Techdegree Graduate 21,083 PointsIt's not because it's a boolean. It's because you can't use a variable if it's not initialized, the compiler won't allow it.