I need help with this recursion method

Question

     public boolean findTheExit(int row, int col) {
          char[][] array = this.getArray();
          boolean escaped = false;
          System.out.println("row" + " " + row + " " + "col" + " " + col);
          System.out.println(array[row][col]);
          System.out.println("escaped" + " " + escaped);
          if (possible(row, col)){
               System.out.println("possible:" + " " + possible(row,col));
               array[row][col] = '.';
          if (checkBorder(row, col)){
               System.out.println("check border:" + " " + checkBorder(row,col));
               escaped = true;
          else {
                System.out.println();
                escaped = findTheExit(row+1, col);
                if (escaped == false)
                escaped = findTheExit(row, col+1);
                else if (escaped == false)
                escaped = findTheExit(row-1, col);
                else if (escaped == false)
                escaped = findTheExit(row, col-1);
          if (escaped == true)
               array[row][col] = 'O';
          return escaped;
     }I am having difficulties with this recursion method. What I wanted here is that when :
if escaped = findTheExit(row+1, col);  I am having trouble with the following statement:
A base case has been reached, escaped(false) is returned to RP1. The algorithm backtracks to the call where row = 2 and col = 1 and assigns false to escaped.
How do I fix this code?
I know what's wrong with my code now, even though that if
if (possible(row, col))
[/code[
returns false then it will go to if (escaped == false)
               escaped = findTheExit(row, col+1);
how do I do this?

Answer 1

Okay I think I got the problem here because I already consult with the instructor, he said that by my code now I am not updating my current array if I change one of the values in a specific row and column into '.' . How do I change this so that I can get an update array. He said to me to erase char[][] array = getArray and replace it with the array instance variable in my class. But I don't have an array instance variable in my class. Below is my full code:
public class ObstacleCourse implements ObstacleCourseInterface {
     private String file = "";
     public ObstacleCourse(String filename) {
          file = filename;
     public boolean findTheExit(int row, int col) {
          boolean escaped = false;
          //System.out.println("row" + " " + row + " " + "col" + " " + col);
          //System.out.println(array[row][col]);
          //System.out.println("escaped" + " " + escaped);
          if (possible(row, col)){
               //System.out.println("possible:" + " " + possible(row,col) + "\n");
               array[row][col] = '.';
               if (checkBorder(row, col)){
               escaped = true;
               else {
                escaped = findTheExit(row+1, col);
                if (escaped == false)
                escaped = findTheExit(row, col+1);
                else if (escaped == false)
                escaped = findTheExit(row-1, col);
                else if (escaped == false)
                escaped = findTheExit(row, col-1);
          if (escaped == true)
               array[row][col] = 'O';
          return escaped;
     public char[][] getArray() {
          char[][] result = null;
          try {
               Scanner s = new Scanner(new File(file));
               int row = 0;
               int col = 0;
               row = s.nextInt();
               col = s.nextInt();
               String x = "";
               result = new char[row][col];
               s.nextLine();
               for (int i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
                    x = s.nextLine();
                    for (int j = 0; j < result.length; j++) {
                         result[i][j] = x.charAt(j);
          } catch (Exception e) {
          return result;
     public int getStartColumn() {
          char[][] result = this.getArray();
          int columns = -1;
          for (int i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
               for (int j = 0; j < result[i].length; j++) {
                    if (result[i][j] == 'S')
                         columns = j;
          return columns;
     public int getStartRow() {
          char[][] result = this.getArray();
          int row = -1;
          for (int i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
               for (int j = 0; j < result[i].length; j++) {
                    if (result[i][j] == 'S')
                         row = i;
          return row;
     public boolean possible(int row, int col) {
          boolean result = false;
          char[][] array = this.getArray();
          if (array[row][col] != '+' && array[row][col] != '.')
               result = true;
          return result;
     public String toString() {
          String result = "";
          try {
               Scanner s = new Scanner(new File(file));
               s.nextLine();
               while (s.hasNextLine())
                    result += s.nextLine() + "\n";
          } catch (Exception e) {
          return result;
     public boolean checkBorder(int row, int col) {
          char[][] array = this.getArray();
          boolean result = false;
          int checkRow = 0;
          int checkColumns = 0;
          try {
               Scanner s = new Scanner(new File(file));
               checkRow = s.nextInt();
               checkColumns = s.nextInt();
          } catch (Exception e) {
          if ((row + 1 == checkRow || col + 1 == checkColumns) && array[row][col] != '+')
               result = true;
          return result;
I thought that my problem would be not to read the file using the try and catch everytime in the method. How do I do this?? Do I have to create an array instance variable in my class?