I am getting an error (variable y might not have been initialised in the if's in the loop. How to solve that? - variables

Question

import java.util.Scanner;
public class RPS
{
public void show()
{
int i;
System.out.println("1 - Rock 2 - Paper 3 - Scissor");
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
i = in.nextInt();
double x = Math.random();
int y;
if(x<=0.33)
{
y=1;
}
else if(x>0.33 && x<0.67)
{
y=2;
}
else if(x>=0.67)
{
y=3;
}
for(;;)
{
if(i==y)
System.out.println("It's a draw!");
else if(i==1 && y==2)
System.out.println("Computer wins!");
else if(i==1 && y==3)
System.out.println("You win!");
else if(i==2 && y==1)
System.out.println("You win!");
else if(i==2 && y==3)
System.out.println("Computer wins!");
else if(i==3 && y==1)
System.out.println("Computer wins!");
else if(i==3 && y==2)
System.out.println("You win!");
else
System.out.println("Error!");
}
}
}
Whats wrong?
It gives an error that variable y might not have been intialised in the if's in the for loop.
I have assigned a value to y in the previous if-else section.
so why isnt it getting intialised?

Answer 1

javac is not smart enough to realize that the way your conditions are constructed, one of them will always be true.
You can rewrite your if-statements to make javac realize one branch will always be triggered:
int y;
if(x<=0.33)
{
y=1;
}
else if(x>0.33 && x<0.67)
{
y=2;
}
else // This only triggers when x >= 0.67, so no need to check
{
y=3;
}
Now javac sees that if the first two don't trigger, the last will, so y will always have a value.
You can alternatively add an else branch with an error, in case someone breaks the conditions:
int y;
if(x<=0.33)
{
y=1;
}
else if(x>0.33 && x<0.67)
{
y=2;
}
else if(x >= 0.67)
{
y=3;
}
else
{
// This should never happen
throw new IllegalArgumentException("Something's gone terribly wrong for " + x);
}
This also compiles, and if someone later decides to skew the numbers and turns the first condition into x <= 0.2 but forgets to update the other condition, you'll get an exception at runtime.