switch statement

[adam faith]

Hi,
just working through some code and came across a method with a switch statement in it
public boolean parse(char response)
{
switch(response)
{
case 'y':
case 'Y':
return true;

case 'n':
case 'N':
return false;
default: ;
}
}
but when i compile i keep getting the error
Error #: 466 : method does not return a value at line 57, column 3
i dont understand this from what i can see in the switch a boolean is bieng returned, can somebody help.

[Anonymous]

Think what happens when 'response' equals 'Q'. The switch would select the 'default' clause which doesn't do anything, so finally control flow hits the end of the function where no value is returned at all. That's what your compiler is complaining about.
kind regards

[adam faith]

Hi Jos
so i added in
default:
throw new IllegalArgumentException("response must be y or n");
and it works, thanks for the pointer

[Ron Newman]

Of course, if this is a response typed by a user, you'd better handle the IllegalArgumentException somewhere, or else the program will "abruptly terminate" (i.e. crash).