While statement

Question

Hi,
I have a while statement and within this a return statement, but when i compile this it produces an error -
missing return statement.
This is my code:
public double getResults() { // Open getResults method
while ( i >= 10 ) { // Open while
i++;
return (runs * 10);
} // Close while
} // Close getResults method
What is wrong?
Thanks

Answer 1

The compiler waits for the return statement to be at the end of the method. For example if you put it before your while loop you'll have an error like "unreachable statement". Because the compiler understands the return statement as the end of the method.
In your case:
What happens in any loop or statement is forgot after its end. So if you create a variable inside the loop and your try to change its value after the end of the loop, it will give you an error because any variable created inside the loop is erased from the memory at the end of the loop. The same thing happens to your return statement . If the value is returned in the loop, as the compiler understand it as the end of the method, it creates an error because the method is not finished yet. And as a previous user told you if the condition of the while loop is not met the return will not be executed. But the compiler is not so smart, it just waits for the return statement as the last line of any such method. And as the value you are returning is declared outside the loop, it will keep its new value at the end of the loop, so you will return the value you want.