file - Java compiler error: "cannot find symbol" when trying to access local variable -

$ javac getalldirs.java  getalldirs.java:16: cannot find symbol symbol  : variable checkfile location: class getalldirs         system.out.println(checkfile.getname());                            ^ 1 error $ cat getalldirs.java  import java.util.*; import java.io.*; public class getalldirs {     public void getalldirs(file file) {         if(file.isdirectory()){             system.out.println(file.getname());             file checkfile = new file(file.getcanonicalpath());         }else if(file.isfile()){             system.out.println(file.getname());             file checkfile = new file(file.getparent());         }else{                     // checkfile should initialized @ least here!             file checkfile = file;         }         system.out.println(file.getname());         // why error here: checkfile not found         system.out.println(checkfile.getname());     }     public static void main(string[] args) {         getalldirs dirs = new getalldirs();              file current = new file(".");         dirs.getalldirs(current);     } } 

jls 14.4.2 scope of local variable declarations:

the scope of local variable declaration in block rest of block in declaration appears, starting own initializer , including further declarators right in local variable declaration statement.

jls 14.2 blocks

a block sequence of statements, local class declarations , local variable declaration statements within braces.

the way declared , initialized checkfile, they're 3 separate local variables goes out of scope @ end of respective blocks.

you can fix putting declaration of file checkfile; first line of getalldirs method; puts scope rest of method.

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