Variable has not been initialized? Error Problem.

Question

I have to create a Rock, Paper, Scissors game for my Java class, but I continue to keep getting an error, even though I feel like it's done fine.
Everytime I try to Compile this code, it says that the variables userChoice, computerChoice, and gameEnd have not been initialized. I'm confused. Help?
import javax.swing.*;
public class HMWK2
   public static void main( String[] args )
        String rock = "ROCK";
        String paper = "PAPER";
        String scissors = "SCISSORS";
        String tie = "Tie.";
        String loser = "Lose!";
        String win = "Win!";
        String computerChoice;
        String userChoice;
        String gameEnd;
    String userChoiceStr = JOptionPane.showInputDialog( null, "Mind a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors?/n" + "0 for Rock, 1 for Scissors, and 2 for Paper!");
    int userChoiceInt =  Integer.parseInt( userChoiceStr);
        int computerChoiceInt = (int)(Math.random() * 3);
    if (userChoiceInt == 0)/*User chooses Rock*/
            userChoice = rock;
            if (computerChoiceInt == 0)/*Computer Choose Rock*/
                {gameEnd = tie;
                 computerChoice = rock;}
            else if (computerChoiceInt == 1)/*Computer Choose Scissors*/
                {gameEnd = loser;
                 computerChoice = scissors;}
            else /*Computer Choose Paper*/
               { gameEnd = win;
                 computerChoice = paper;}
     else if (userChoiceInt == 1)/*User chooses Paper*/
            userChoice = paper;
        if (computerChoiceInt == 0)/*Computer Choose Rock*/
                {gameEnd = loser;
                 computerChoice = rock;}
            else if (computerChoiceInt == 1)/*Computer Choose Scissors*/
                {gameEnd = win;
                 computerChoice = scissors;}
            else /*Computer Choose Paper*/
               { gameEnd = tie;
                computerChoice = paper;}
      else if (userChoiceInt == 2)
            userChoice = scissors;
            if (computerChoiceInt == 0)/*Computer Choose Rock*/
                {gameEnd = win;
                 computerChoice = rock;}
            else if (computerChoiceInt == 1)/*Computer Choose Scissors*/
                {gameEnd = tie;
                 computerChoice = scissors;}
            else /*Computer Choose Paper*/
               { gameEnd = loser;
                computerChoice = paper;}
      else
        { JOptionPane.showMessageDialog( null, "Invalid Input. Try Again.");}
        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog( null, "You choose " + userChoice + ".\n" +
             "The Computer choose " + computerChoice + ".\n" +
             "You " + gameEnd);
}

Answer 1

Well, why not initialize them?
    String computerChoice = "";
    String userChoice = "";
    String gameEnd = "";ADDENDUM: you're program logic is backward.
Also, consider using enums here. They'd work well in this situation.
Edited by: Encephalopathic on Feb 17, 2008 9:27 PM