Variable Scoping in Flex/Flash

Question

Both the Flex 2 and 3 compilers have warned me about duplicate variable definitions when the variables are in completely different scopes. This behavior is different than any other language I have used. To verify this behavior I used the following code:
if (1 == 0)
var test:int = 88;
logger.info(”test ” + test.toString());
else
test = 99;
logger.info(”test2 ” + test.toString());
The code compiles, runs, initializes the test variable and sets it to 99. The log entry in the (1==0) block, as expected, is not written. To rule out some sort of implicit variable declaration I commented out the line [var test:int = 88;] and the compiler promptly issued an undefined variable error. Any additional perspective on why test gets initialized in this code, or why this would possibly be considered correct behavior would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I just pulled the code into a window and added some code to eliminate errors (added hbx and vbx and tableData and a few dummy functions) and I am getting a clean compile with no warnings.  If you post all the code for the window that would help.  Here is the code I used.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><mx:Application 
xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" layout="vertical" creationComplete="init()" xmlns:local="*">
<mx:Script>
<![CDATA[
import mx.controls.Spacer; 
import mx.controls.Text; 
import mx.containers.HBox; 
public var tableData:XML = new XML()  
public function init():void { 
this.vbxTable.setStyle("skinBgColor", "#505068"); 
var itemElement:XML; //DECLARE VARIABLE ONCE 
if (this.tableData.hasOwnProperty("title")) { 
if (this.tableData.title.length() > 1) { 
var left:Text = newTitle(this.tableData.title[0], "left"); 
this.hbxHeader.addChild(left); 
var space:Spacer = new Spacer();space.percentWidth = 100;
var right:Text = newTitle(this.tableData.title[1], "right") 
this.hbxHeader.addChild(right);}
else { 
this.hbxHeader.addChild(newTitle(this.tableData.title[0], "left")); 
if (this.tableData.hasOwnProperty("header")) { 
var headerX:XML = this.tableData.header[0]; 
var header:HBox = newHeader(); 
if (headerX.hasOwnProperty("item")) { 
for each (itemElement in headerX.item) { 
var hItem:Text = newHeaderItem(itemElement); 
if (itemElement.hasOwnProperty("@percentWidth")) hItem.percentWidth = itemElement.@percentWidth;header.addChild(hItem);
this.vbxTable.addChild(header);}
if (this.tableData.hasOwnProperty("row")) { 
for each (var rowElement:XML in this.tableData.row) { 
if (rowElement.hasOwnProperty("item")) { 
var row:HBox = newRow(); 
for each (itemElement in rowElement.item) { 
var rItem:Text = newRowItem(itemElement); 
if (itemElement.hasOwnProperty("@percentWidth"))rItem.percentWidth = itemElement.@percentWidth;
row.addChild(rItem);
this.vbxTable.addChild(row); 
public function newHeader() : HBox { 
var rItem:Text; 
return new HBox();}
public  
function newRow() : HBox { 
return new HBox();}
public function newTitle(r:String, t:String) : Text { 
return new Text();}
public  
function newRowItem(r:String) : Text { 
return new Text();}
public function newHeaderItem(r:String) : Text { 
return new Text();}
]]>
</mx:Script>
<mx:VBox height="100%" id="vbxTable">
</mx:VBox>
<mx:HBox height="100%" id="hbxHeader">
</mx:HBox>