return out of scope?

[another_steve]

Hi, I'm writing a method that is suppose to return a boolean but it seems that if the return true/false statements are within the "if statements", then java doesn't realize that it and complains that I am not returning anything.

Here's a few things I've tried:

Code:

//in this one, java claims i am not returning anything

private boolean uniqueUsername(String username)
//checks if username is unique
{		
	Vector<String> vUsernames = readAccounts.getUsernames(filename);   
	    
	for(int i=0 ; i<vUsernames.size(); i++)
        {
	    	if ( vUsernames.get(i).equals(username) )
	    		return false;
	    	else
	    		return true;
	 }
}

Code:

//in this one, java always returns true, regardless of the if statements

private boolean uniqueUsername(String username)
//checks if username is unique
{		
        uniqueUsername = true;

	Vector<String> vUsernames = readAccounts.getUsernames(filename);   
	    
	for(int i=0 ; i<vUsernames.size(); i++)
        {
	    	if ( vUsernames.get(i).equals(username) )
	    		uniqueUsername = false;
	    	else
	    		uniqueUsername = true;
	 }

        return uniqueUsername;
}

Code:

//in this one, java always returns false, regardless of the if statements

private boolean uniqueUsername(String username)
//checks if username is unique
{		
        uniqueUsername = false;

	Vector<String> vUsernames = readAccounts.getUsernames(filename);   
	    
	for(int i=0 ; i<vUsernames.size(); i++)
        {
	    	if ( vUsernames.get(i).equals(username) )
	    		uniqueUsername = false;
	    	else
	    		uniqueUsername = true;
	 }

        return uniqueUsername;
}

Is there any way i can work around this? Thanks!

[tim]

Hello another_steve

Welcome to the forums! You are using variable names that match the method's heading. Also try making the resulting variable local:

Code:

private boolean uniqueUsername(String username)
{		
        boolean result = true;

	Vector<String> vUsernames = readAccounts.getUsernames(filename);   
	    
	for(int i=0 ; i < vUsernames.size(); i++)
        {
	    	if (vUsernames.get(i).equals(username) )
	    		result = false;
	    	else
	    		result = true;
	 }

        return result;
}

This should do the trick.

[another_steve]

Awesome!! Thanks!!!

[another_steve]

Unfortunately, that didn't solve it. Now it just keeps returning "result" as whichever value is at the end of the "else" statement.

I'll try some other things and if I find a solution, I will post back.
Thanks for trying though

[another_steve]

I found a fix for anyone who is interested.

Code:

	public boolean uniqueUsername(String username)
	{		
	    boolean result = true;

		Vector<String> vUsernames = readAccounts.getUsernames(filename);   
		    
		for(int i=0 ; i < vUsernames.size(); i++)
	    {
		   	if(username.equals(vUsernames.get(i)))
		   	{
		    	result = false;
		   		break;
		   	}
		   	else
		   		result = true;
		}

	    return result;
	}

You need a break statement otherwise the for loop will continue going and will only evaluate the last element in the vector.

Cheers.

[tim]

Well done another_steve.

I've had that logical problem many times before. I just did not think of it now.