error: variable (date object) might not have been initialized

Question

import java.util.Date;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
class Test
{
  public static void main(String args[])
  {
   Date d;
   SimpleDateFormat sdf=new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy");
    try{
    d=sdf.parse("20-12-2016",0);
    }
    catch(Exception ex)
    {
        ex.printStackTrace();
    }
    System.out.println(d);
   }
}

When I compile this code I get

error: variable d might not have been initialized in

System.out.println(d);

but I have assigned it a date using parse function in

d=sdf.parse("20-12-2016",0);

Please search Stack Overflow thoroughly before posting. – Basil Bourque May 23 '16 at 17:39 — Basil Bourque, May 23 '16 at 17:39

score -1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 23 '16 at 16:39

-1

These here:

Date d;
SimpleDateFormat sdf=new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy");
try{
    d=sdf.parse("20-12-2016",0);
}
   catch(Exception ex){
   ex.printStackTrace();
}
    System.out.println(d);
}

is a little bit dangerous, because if your try catch doesn't work, then you are passing a non initialized object as parameter (printing a date object that is not initialized)

the IDE is smart enough to prevent such thing, that is the reason it is complaining..

initialize the value when defining it.. and everything will be ok.

answered May 23 '16 at 16:39

ΦXocę 웃 Пepeúpa ツ

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like Date d=new Date();? – nicky97 May 23 '16 at 16:43
yes, that could be a good init value.... – ΦXocę 웃 Пepeúpa ツ May 23 '16 at 16:43
It's not the IDE, it is the Java compiler. It is a property called *definite assignment*. – Andy Turner May 23 '16 at 16:44
Yeah it is the java compiler@AndyTurner – nicky97 May 23 '16 at 16:45
you are right @AndyTurner, but some IDEs (like eclipse) will set warnings about it... – ΦXocę 웃 Пepeúpa ツ May 23 '16 at 16:45
Date d=new Date(); is a waste of memory right? I am re assignining it in the next line itself@ΦXoce웃Пepeúpa – nicky97 May 23 '16 at 16:46
Failure to definitely assign a local variable results in an error, not a warning, since the JLS defines it as a compile-time error: "For every access of a local variable or blank final field x, x must be definitely assigned before the access, or a compile-time error occurs.". Eclipse's compiler cannot be any less strict than `javac`. – Andy Turner May 23 '16 at 16:46
Guys when I changed the code as Date d=null; it works but I don't know how because it is still null – nicky97 May 23 '16 at 16:51

error: variable (date object) might not have been initialized

1 Answers1