Random boolean is always false

Question

Whenever i create a goblin object and call the method isNice, it always return false. But when i do System.out.println(nice) it does it randomly.

public class Goblin
{

    private boolean nice;
    private boolean isNice;


    public Goblin()
    {
        // initialise instance variables
          Random rand = new Random();
         boolean nice = rand.nextBoolean();

    }

    public boolean isNice()
    {

            return true;

        else 
            return false;
    }

}

First, just return the boolean: `isNice() { return isNice; }` — markspace, Oct 30 '18 at 21:41
Because you don't assign the result of `rand.nextBoolean()` to `nice` but to a local variable. — khachik, Oct 30 '18 at 21:42
You are setting a local variable instead of a class property. As a solution try `this.nice = rand.nextBoolean();` — gusto2, Oct 30 '18 at 21:43
The `boolean nice` in the constructor declares a *local variable* that is **shadowing** the *field* `nice`, so you're not setting the value of the field anywhere. See [What are Shadow Variables in Java?](https://stackoverflow.com/q/26297180/5221149) — Andreas, Oct 30 '18 at 21:45
Maybe, you output isNice variable (which by default initialized to false), not isNice() method? — Олексій Моренець, Oct 30 '18 at 21:47

Andy Turner · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-30T21:44:37.060

3

boolean nice = rand.nextBoolean();

is declaring and assigning a local variable. You aren't assigning the field, so it will always have its default value, false, when you access it with the getter.

Drop the boolean.

edited Oct 30 '18 at 21:44

answered Oct 30 '18 at 21:42

Andy Turner

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To explain further: Since you didn't assign `nice` to true- `nice` will never equal true and thus the method `isNice()` always returns false. – chevybow Oct 30 '18 at 21:44

Random boolean is always false

1 Answers1