Static Block and variable problem

[phobosforever]

Here is a code that I encountered while working on the Eclipse IDE.

class Demo
{
static
{
x = 100;
System.out.println(x);
}

public static void main(String args[])
{
//System.out.println(x);
}

static int x =1000;
}

Inside the static block, at the prin statement, it gives me an error "Cannot reference a field before it is defined", whereas, if I comment that, and uncomment the print statement inside main, it works fine. What seems to be the problem here?

[DarrylBurke]

Classes

The static initializers and class variable initializers are executed in textual order.

Use of class variables whose declarations appear textually after the use is sometimes restricted, even though these class variables are in scope. See §8.3.2.3 for the precise rules governing forward reference to class variables.

db