I have this piece of code
String p4name;
String p5name;
if(p1score > p2score && p1score > p3score){
if(p2score > p3score){
p1.setWinner(true);
p2.setWinner(true);
p3.setWinner(false);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p1.getName() + " and " + p2.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
p4name = p1.getName();
p5name = p2.getName();
}
else{
p1.setWinner(true);
p2.setWinner(false);
p3.setWinner(true);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p1.getName() + " and " + p3.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
p4name = p1.getName();
p5name = p3.getName();
}
}
else if(p2score > p1score && p2score > p3score){
if(p1score > p3score){
p1.setWinner(true);
p2.setWinner(true);
p3.setWinner(false);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p1.getName() + " and " + p2.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
p4name = p1.getName();
p5name = p2.getName();
}
else{
p1.setWinner(false);
p2.setWinner(true);
p3.setWinner(true);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p2.getName() + " and " + p3.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
p4name = p2.getName();
p5name = p3.getName();
}
}
else if (p3score > p1score && p3score > p2score){
if(p1score > p2score){
p1.setWinner(true);
p2.setWinner(false);
p3.setWinner(true);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p1.getName() + " and " + p3.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
p4name = p1.getName();
p5name = p3.getName();
}
else{
p1.setWinner(false);
p2.setWinner(true);
p3.setWinner(true);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p2.getName() + " and " + p3.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
p4name = p2.getName();
p5name = p3.getName();
}
}
else {
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** It's a tie **** ");
}
and I attempted to create new objects using the p4name, p5name variable
Player p4 = new Player(p4name);
Player p5 = new Player(p5name);
but the cmd said that p4name, p5name is not initialized. Is it because it was initialized in the if/else? Is there any possible ways to overcome this without having to continue the rest of my code in the loop?
Answer
I would suggest to extract the following method:
public void setWinners(.. p1, boolean p1Win, .. p2, boolean p2Win, .. p3, boolean p3Win){
p1.setWinner(p1Win);
p2.setWinner(p2Win);
p3.setWinner(p3Win);
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** " + p1.getName() + " and " + p2.getName() + " proceed to 2-Player phase **** ");
}
Typically, one should not pass a boolean as a parameter of a method but here IMO it is acceptable:
String p4name;
String p5name;
if(p1score > p2score && p1score > p3score){
p4name = p1.getName();
if(p2score > p3score){
setWinners(p1, true, p2, true, p3, false);
p5name = p2.getName();
}
else{
setWinners(p1, true, p2, false, p3, true);
p5name = p3.getName();
}
}
else if(p2score > p1score && p2score > p3score){
if(p1score > p3score){
setWinners(p1, true, p2, true, p3, false);
p4name = p1.getName();
}
else{
setWinners(p1, false, p2, true, p3, true);
p4name = p2.getName();
}
p5name = p2.getName();
}
else if (p3score > p1score && p3score > p2score){
if(p1score > p2score){
setWinners(p1, true, p2, false, p3, true);
p4name = p1.getName();
}
else{
setWinners(p1, false, p2, true, p3, true);
p4name = p2.getName();
}
p5name = p3.getName();
}
else {
System.out.println();
System.out.println();
System.out.println("**** It's a tie **** ");
return; // Exist the game
}