Need Explanation

[Joe Harry]

Hi Everyone,

I have a small doubt in the following code,

public class Main {
    int l = 10;
        int ll = l * this.width;
         int width = 10;
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Main m = new Main();
        System.out.println(m.ll);
       }
}   

I want to know why it prints 0. On the other hand if I type int l2 = l1*this.width after the declaration of int width, it prints 100 as expected. Please anyone give me a clear cut explanation of the above code.
I appreciate your help.

Regards,
Jothi Shankar Kumar. S

[Bram Maes]

You have not intitialized width before you use it. That's why width has default 0 value. If you place int width = 10; before int ll = l * this.width; , I think it should work.

[Joe Harry]

Hi Bram Maes,

Thanks for the reply. I know that I havn't initialized width before I use it. But I want to know why when said
int ll = l * this.width;
int width = 10;
gives no error and when said
int ll = l * width; //gives error here???why???
int width = 10;
gives an error?
Please clarify this.

Regards,
Jothi Shankar Kumar. S

[wise owen]

int ll = l * width; //gives error here???why???
int width = 10;

The code breaks the forward reference rules.
What are the forward reference rules?
[ September 29, 2006: Message edited by: wise owen ]

[Deyu Wang]

Regards,

[Joe Harry]

Hi Wise Owen,

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting the most of it from the link that you provided to me.

Thanks again.
Regards,
Jothi Shankar Kumar. S

[Deyu Wang]

int ll = l * this.width;//told the compilor the variable 'width' was defined at other place(in this class).



int ll = l * width; //illegal forward reference.

// sorry,My English is so bad.