Variable may not have been initialzed

[FooFan]

Hi all,

I'm trying to write a fairly simple program in Java that will allow the user to write to a text file, specifiying the File name and Content.
I keep getting the same error though that comes up with 'Variable [Variable name] may not be initialized' I've struggled for ages now but can't find the solution

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sorry about the lack of comments.

import java.lang.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
public class FileMakerApp extends Object
{
  public static void main(String[] argStrings) throws Exception
  {
    String lnBreak = ("----------------------------------");
 
    int menu = 0; 
 
    do
    {
      Scanner choice = new Scanner(System.in);
 
      System.out.print(" What would you now like to do? "); 
      System.out.println(lnBreak);
      System.out.println("1: Create new file");
      System.out.println("2: View name of last file created");
      System.out.println("3: View content of last file created");
      System.out.println("4: View location of last file created");
      System.out.println("5: Exit Program");
      System.out.println(lnBreak);
 
      menu = choice.nextInt();
 
      switch (menu) 
      {
      case 1:
        System.out.print(" Please insert the name of the text file (E.G input.txt)you wish to create: ");
 
        Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
        String fileName = input.nextLine();
        PrintStream out = new PrintStream(fileName);
 
        System.out.print(" Please insert the text you wish to be saved to the file and press 'enter': ");
 
        Scanner inputs = new Scanner(System.in);
        String inputText = inputs.nextLine();
 
        out.println(inputText);
 
        out.close();
      case 2:
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("File called: " + fileName + ".txt");
        System.out.println();
        break;
      case 3:
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("File content:");
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println(inputText);
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println(lnBreak);
        break;
      case 4:
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("File located at: D:\\files\\2\\classes");
        System.out.println();
        break;
 
      case 5: 
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("Program Successfully Exited");
        System.out.println();
      default:
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("No such option. Please try again.");
        System.out.println();
        break;
      }
    } 
    while (menu !=5);
 
  }
} 

P.S the variables that are causing the errors are 'fileName' and 'inputText'

[JosAH]

Suppose the user first types '2' (check it in your source code); obviously variable
'fileName' isn't initialized yet. That's why the compiler is complaining.

kind regards,

Jos

[FooFan]

Ah I see...

I've now taken the file writing part of the code out of the Do.. while loop, but can't think of a way to enable a 'create new file' option in the menu that will allow the other menu options to be kept updated.

I tried repeating the code as a case 5, but just got the 'variable is already defined' error.

The program runs fine without it, but it would've been a nice feature.

Thanks for your help.

[BigDaddyLH]

Declaring variables in switch cases is going to get you into trouble. With switch statements I recommend keeping the code in each case as simple as possible, say just call a subroutine method you've defined:

switch (menu) {
case 1:
    createNewFile();
    break;
case 2:
    viewLastFilename();
    break;
...
}
 

You can either pass arguments to these subroutines and return values, or use the state of the current object.