Problem with forward reference

Question

Java requires that the declaration of a field must occur before its usage in any initializer expression, if the field is used on the right-hand side of an assignment in the initializer expression
class NonStaticInitializers {
     int sqSide = height = 20;         
    int height;                        
}'height' is used first and declared later how the above initialization is permitted?

Answer 1

I guess that class attributes are first alldeclared,
then initialized...
should be somewhere in the JLS...see section 8.3.2 of the JLS... I didn't bother to
read it though... it's friday afternoon, dammit ! ^_^... and I'm bored...
The declaration of a member needs to appear before it is used only if the
member is an instance (respectively static) field of a class or interface C and all
of the following conditions hold:
� The usage occurs in an instance (respectively static) variable initializer of C
or in an instance (respectively static) initializer of C.
� The usage is not on the left hand side of an assignment.
� C is the innermost class or interface enclosing the usage.
A compile-time error occurs if any of the three requirements above are not
met.