Character arithmetic issues

[mljrg]

Hello,

the following puzzles me :confused:

Does someone know why the third line is flagged with an error ?

char c1 = 'a' + 1; // ok
int v = 1;
char c2 = 'a' + v; // error "Type mismatch: cannot convert from int to char" !?!?

Thanks
Mário
PS: I'm using Java 1.6

[JosAH]

Hello,

the following puzzles me :confused:

Does someone know why the third line is flagged with an error ?

char c1 = 'a' + 1; // ok
int v = 1;
char c2 = 'a' + v; // error "Type mismatch: cannot convert from int to char" !?!?

Thanks
Mário
PS: I'm using Java 1.6

The compiler can only do 'constant folding' i.e. it can do calcualations on expressions that consists of constant operands only. Your first expression is such an expression and the compiler 'knows' that 'a'+1 == 'b' which fits in a character. The third expression isn't a constant expression so the compiler converts the single constant 'a' to an int, generates code for the addition operator and assumes that the result is also of type int. The result might not fit in a char so the compiler complains about it.

kind regards,

Jos