Class Variable access

[sanjay pathak]

class A
{ public static final int i = 10;
public ststic void main(String arg[])
{
int i = 23; // it compiles but if int i is replaced by i then
//error why
System.out.println("Value of i ="+i);
}
}
This confuses me since i is class variable then is it possible to define the variable with the same name as local in method

[Bosun Bello]

It's because "i" is declared to be final. A final variable can not be changed once it has been assigned a value. Take the final modifier off, and it will compile.
Bosun

[sanjay pathak]

It is compiling with int i. Should it not give error saying that duplication of declaration.

[Randall Twede]

It is because the class variable is being shadowed by the local variable. From the JLS:
6.3.1 Shadowing Declarations

Here is an example of shadowing of a field declaration by a local variable declaration: 
class Test {
static int x = 1;
public static void main(String[] args) {
int x = 0;
System.out.print("x=" + x);
System.out.println(", Test.x=" + Test.x);
}
}
produces the output:
x=0, Test.x=1

Since the scope of a class variable includes the entire body of the class (�8.2) the class variable x would normally be available throughout the entire body of the method main. In this example, however, the class variable x is shadowed within the body of the method main by the declaration of the local variable x.

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Dont blindly believe everything I say.
[This message has been edited by Randall Twede (edited March 19, 2001).]