What is wrong with for loop syntax?

Question

I have this piece of code down here - the PlayingDeck class. It's not done, as you see, but what happens is that on line 17, Right under the for loop, I get an error message saying the PlayingCard declaration and initialization isn't a statement. Why so? When I add the curly brackets to the for loop with just that same statement, the error message disappears. Could someone please explain why? All I need are two brackets, one at the start and one at the end of the for loop...?

Thank you

Code that does not compile --------

public class PlayingDeck {
    static int numberOfCards;

    static {
        numberOfCards = 52;
    }

    PlayingCard[] playingDeckArray;

    PlayingDeck() {
        playingDeckArray = new PlayingCard[numberOfCards];

        for (int currentCardNumber = 0; currentCardNumber > 51; currentCardNumber++)
            PlayingCard currentCard = playingDeckArray[currentCardNumber];
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {

    }
}

Code that Compiles -----

public class PlayingDeck {
    static int numberOfCards;

    static {
        numberOfCards = 52;
    }

    PlayingCard[] playingDeckArray;

    PlayingDeck() {
        playingDeckArray = new PlayingCard[numberOfCards];

        for (int currentCardNumber = 0; currentCardNumber > 51; currentCardNumber++){
            PlayingCard currentCard = playingDeckArray[currentCardNumber];
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {

    }
}

Eran · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-23 06:50:54Z

1

It is not allowed because the declaration of PlayingCard currentCard has no scope if you don't wrap it with braces.

BTW, if you want your loop to do something, you should probably change the condition to currentCardNumber < 51;

answered Nov 23, 2014 at 6:50

Eran

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3 Comments

robbmj Over a year ago

Is it fair to say that it has a scope, but that scope is useless?

Sage Mitchell Over a year ago

Or even change the condition to currentCardNumber < numberOfCards.

nhooyr Over a year ago

I guess that make sense because when I do this for loop everything compiles just fine:

PlayingDeck() {         DeckArray = new PlayingCard[numOfSuits][numOfRanks];         for (int currentSuitNumber = 1; currentSuitNumber <= numOfSuits; currentSuitNumber++) {             for (int currentRankNumber = 1; currentRankNumber <= numOfRanks; currentRankNumber++)                 DeckArray[currentSuitNumber - 1][currentRankNumber - 1] = new PlayingCard(currentSuitNumber, currentRankNumber);         }     }

But there is no variable declaration here so I guess curly brackets aren't necessary. Thanks.

Choudhury Saadmaan Mahmid · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-23 10:49:17Z

1

Your problem is in the for loop

for (int currentCardNumber = 0; currentCardNumber > 51; currentCardNumber++)
            PlayingCard currentCard = playingDeckArray[currentCardNumber];
}

The opening curly brace { is missing.

That's a standard for any language, not only java. Any loop, whether it be for loop, or while loop or do-while loop, or any block like if-else, if-else if- else, switch must have opening and closing curly braces.

Read this for more details: Control Flow Statements in Java

Also read this: Wikipedia - Indent Style

edited Nov 23, 2014 at 10:49

answered Nov 23, 2014 at 6:58

Choudhury Saadmaan Mahmid

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