Whats wrong with my code???

[Soda]

Quote:

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{
String name, age;
String location;
String gender, conduct, gift;

//rbMale
if(ae.getSource() == rbMale)
{
gender = "Male";
}

//rbFemale
if(ae.getSource() == rbFemale)
{
gender = "Female";
}

//rbNice
if(ae.getSource()== rbNice)
{
cbGiftNice.setVisible(true);
cbGiftNaughty.setVisible(false);
conduct = "Nice";

if(ae.getSource() == cbGiftNice)
{
JComboBox cbNice = (JComboBox)ae.getSource();
gift = (String)cbGiftNice.getSelectedItem();
}
}

//rbNaughty
if(ae.getSource() == rbNaughty)
{
cbGiftNaughty.setVisible(true);
cbGiftNice.setVisible(false);
conduct = "Naughty";

if(ae.getSource() == cbGiftNaughty)
{
JComboBox cbNaughty = (JComboBox)ae.getSource();
gift = (String)cbGiftNaughty.getSelectedItem();
}
}

//cbLocation
if(ae.getSource() == cbLocation)
{
JComboBox cbLocation = (JComboBox)ae.getSource();
location = (String)cbLocation.getSelectedItem();
}

//bView
if(ae.getSource() == bView)
{
JFrame.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true);
JFrame vFrame = new JFrame("List");
vFrame.setSize(300,800);
vFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLO SE);
vFrame.setVisible(true);

JPanel vPanel = new JPanel();
JTextArea taView = new JTextArea();

vFrame.add(vPanel);
vPanel.add(taView);

name = tfName.getText();
age = tfAge.getText();

taView.append("Name:"+(" ")+name);
taView.append("Age:"+(" ")+age);
taView.append("Sex:"+(" ")+gender);
taView.append("Conduct:"+(" ")+conduct);
taView.append("Location:"+(" ")+location);
taView.append("Gift:"+(" ")+gift);
}

Here the problem:

The last variables gender, conduct, location and gift, in taView.append, gets an error during compilation. The error was "variable gender might not have been initialized" etc, but name and age does not get any error. If add the declaration in the bView, the error becomes something like this, "error has been declared at ActionEvent" Why is that? Whats the error in my code?

Thnx much for the help!!!

[hardwired]

Logic. Consider this:

Code:

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{
    String name, age;
    String location;
    String gender, conduct, gift;

    //rbMale
    if(ae.getSource() == rbMale)
    {
        gender = "Male";
    }

    //rbFemale
    if(ae.getSource() == rbFemale)
    {
        gender = "Female";
    }
    ...
    //bView
    if(ae.getSource() == bView)
    {
        ...
        name = tfName.getText();
        age = tfAge.getText();

        taView.append("Name:"+(" ")+name); 
        taView.append("Age:"+(" ")+age); 
        taView.append("Sex:"+(" ")+gender);
        ...
    }
}

The only way that the String variable "gender" can/will be assigned a value is if ae.getSource() == either "rbMale" or "rbFemale". In any other case, most notably here: "bView", the local variable "gender" has no value assigned to it. The compiler needs to see a value for "gender" before you try to use it.
Solution: give it a value (initialize it) at declaration, eg:

Code:

    String gender = "unknown";

[Soda]

Thnx much! It working now!!!