Help with errors in code

[Jdiz]

I am hoping someone can help me figure out what is wrong with my coding. The assignment is to write a program that reads data from a specified file and stores the ouput in another file. The input has a list of 3 names (last, first) and a salary amount. The output is to read those 3 names (first, last) and have a new salary amount after computing a raise of 5%.
Here is my code:

/* Program to read employees names and pay rate from file, calculates raise in pay, and stores output in another file of each employees name and new pay rate.*/
import java.io.*; //package to use FileReader and PrintWriter
import java.util.Scanner;

public class LynchA6
{
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
{


String first_name; //variable to store employees' names
String last_name;
double payRate; //variable to show current pay
double payRaise; //variable to show .05 raise
double payIncrease; //variable to calculate rate * .05
double newPay; // variable to show calculated new pay rate

Scanner inFile = new Scanner(new FileReader ("Assign6Data.txt")); //calls contents of file
PrintWriter outFile = new PrintWriter("Assign6Out.txt"); //where output is to be saved


while (inFile.hasNext()) //loop to visit each line
{
last_name = inFile.next();
first_name = inFile.next();
payRate = inFile.nextDouble();
newPay = payRate + (payRate * .05);
}//end while loop

outFile.printf("%-6s %-6s %7.2f %c %n", first_name, last_name, "$"+newPay); //output with spacing for name and pay

inFile.close();
outFile.close();
}

}

The error I get reads:

----jGRASP exec: javac -g LynchA6.java

LynchA6.java:30: variable first_name might not have been initialized
outFile.printf("%-6s %-6s %7.2f %c %n", first_name, last_name, "$"+newPay); //output with spacing for name and pay
^
LynchA6.java:30: variable last_name might not have been initialized
outFile.printf("%-6s %-6s %7.2f %c %n", first_name, last_name, "$"+newPay); //output with spacing for name and pay
^
LynchA6.java:30: variable newPay might not have been initialized
outFile.printf("%-6s %-6s %7.2f %c %n", first_name, last_name, "$"+newPay); //output with spacing for name and pay
^
3 errors

----jGRASP wedge2: exit code for process is 1.
----jGRASP: operation complete.

[devnull69]

Wrong section

Java != Javascript

[Old Pedant]

As DevNull said, wrong forum.

About the only thing Java and JavaSCRIPT have in common are the first 4 letters of their names.

But...

But this is a trivial problem.

Java is telling you the truth.

You have a WHILE loop [icode]while (inFile.hasNext()) [/code] and *IN THAT LOOP* you assign values to those variables. But what happens if the while loop NEVER executes? If inFile has no lines at all? Indeed, those variables would *NOT* get any values. So how can you depend on using them in that printf that is *AFTER* the loop?

HINT: The real problem is that the printf is in the wrong place.

[Jdiz]

Thank you for the help. I did post this problem elsewhere on the forum but was afraid I put it in the wrong place. Not to offend anyone, because obviously I have the utmost respect, but I am not computer programming-minded. Just trying to finish this class =D. Thanks again!

[Gox]

The Java compiler has caught a potential runtime error for you and is asking you to fix it.

while (inFile.hasNext()) //loop to visit each line
{
last_name = inFile.next();
first_name = inFile.next();
payRate = inFile.nextDouble();
newPay = payRate + (payRate * .05);
}//end while loop

outFile.printf("%-6s %-6s %7.2f %c %n", first_name, last_name, "$"+newPay); //output with spacing for name and pay

If inFile.hasNext() return false on the very first call your while loop won't execute at all. If that happens outFile.printf will execute and try to print first_name, last_name, etc which haven't been initialized. Resulting in a nullpointer exception.

One possible solution is to set your variables = null when you declare them.