FileInputStream not recognising file

[javabarn]

I am having trouble with the following code getting error
Buttons.java:339:cannot find symbol
symbol :variable curFile
location :class Buttons
{FileInputStream f_in = new FileInputStream(curFile);
^

I have put a system.out line above and it recognises it there

A similar dialog for writing seems to be accepted

{teachPanel.setVisible(true);
	questPanel.setVisible(false);	
	File f = new File(thingsName+".zzz");// set to existing file
	chooser.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.FILES_ONLY);
    	chooser.setSelectedFile(f);
    	int returnVal=chooser.showOpenDialog(null);
	if (returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION)//file selected

		{File curFile=new File("");
	 curFile = chooser.getSelectedFile();
      	System.out.println("File Type= "+curFile);}
	else {return;}
	//read file here 
	try
		{FileInputStream f_in = new FileInputStream (curFile);  //problem line

		ObjectInputStream obj_in = new ObjectInputStream (f_in);
		Object obj=obj_in.readObject();
		scores =(int[][]) obj; //cast obj to array
		Object obj1=obj_in.readObject();
		props=(String[])obj1;
		Object obj2=obj_in.readObject();
		things=(String[])obj2;}
/

[PhHein]

curFile is out of scope, you define it in the if block, and that's the only place where it's visible.

And your bracing style is atrocious!

[javabarn]

PhHein,
many thanks -had looked at it for ages - the braces are the result of frustrated attempts to get to the bottom of it. I was thrown by the similar code working for writing - but if scope was different there

[PhHein]

Glad you sorted it out, please mark the thread as solved in the thread tools menu above your original post.