Missing Return Statement in If-elseIf-else

**chronoz13** · October 12th, 2009, 06:38 AM

this is the code that has error ..

"missing return statement"

    public static boolean ToDecimalCont() throws IOException {
 
        String keyIn;
 
        System.out.println("");
        System.out.print("Do You Want To Change The Numerical Type?: ");
        keyIn = br.readLine();
 
        if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("Y")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("YES"))) {
 
            return true;
        }
        else if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("N")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("NO"))) {
 
            return false;
        }
        else if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("exit")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("quit"))) {
 
            System.exit(0);
            //but when i add return false or true; it compiles fine.
        }
        else {
 
            return false;
        }
 
    }

it WAS like this , and it doesnt have any errors such like that

    public static boolean ToDecimalCont() throws IOException {
 
        String keyIn;
 
        System.out.println("");
        System.out.print("Do You Want To Change The Numerical Type?: ");
        keyIn = br.readLine();
 
        if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("Y")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("YES"))) {
 
            return true;
        }
        else if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("N")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("NO"))) {
 
            return false;
        }
        else {
 
            return false;
        }
 
    }

i've notice that IN THE FIRST CODE when I added another elseIf statement (the third one with System.exit(0)), the compiler is asking for a return statement... WHICH I ALREADY HAVE on the default part which is 'else',

and regarding with the FIRST CODE' ,the THE THIRD BRANCH OF IF (the elseIf that has a System.exit(0);, when i add this after the System.exit(0);

 return false or true;

, it compiles prefectly..

questions:
1.) why is the compiler asks me to define a return value? (when i already have the default or the else block)
2.) is this somewhat kind of unreachable statement?

need some clarification..

**Json** · October 12th, 2009, 06:58 AM

Its because even though you have a return in the else block the compiler knows that if the code hits the else if statement with no return in it, the method wont return anything and it will complain about the missing return statement.

If you remove your else block and just return false at the bottom you will solve this.

public static boolean ToDecimalCont() throws IOException {
        String keyIn;
 
        System.out.println("");
        System.out.print("Do You Want To Change The Numerical Type?: ");
        keyIn = br.readLine();
 
        if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("Y")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("YES"))) {
            return true;
        }
        else if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("N")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("NO"))) {
            return false;
        }
        else if ((keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("exit")) || (keyIn.equalsIgnoreCase("quit"))) {
            System.exit(0);
        }
 
        return false; // This should work for you because even if the last else if is hit, the compiler knows that there is a fail safe at the end which will return false.
    }

// Json

**chronoz13** · October 12th, 2009, 07:01 AM

oh damn.. what simple logic i missed, yah ofcourse just think of what will happen if that part of block became true
it wont return anything....

tnx sir Json!!

solved!:

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