Return a string to main method

Question

first off sorry if this question has been asked before (if it has i couldn't find it)

this is my code

public class Methods {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String playerOne = "this is blank";
        lols(playerOne);
        System.out.println(playerOne);
    }

    
    public static String lols(String playerOne) {
        playerOne = "this is filled";
        return playerOne;
        
    }
}

I want the playerOne String to change to "this is filled" but when it prints it says "this is blank"

i am unsure why this code is not working.

thanks for the help.

Beside Stultuske's answer, also check [Is Java "pass-by-reference" or "pass-by-value"?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40480/is-java-pass-by-reference-or-pass-by-value) — Federico klez Culloca, Sep 24 '20 at 07:07

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 24 '20 at 07:03

0

you already are returning the String, you are just not doing anything with the result.

Change this:

public static void main(String[] args) {
    String playerOne = "this is blank";
    lols(playerOne);
    System.out.println(playerOne);
}

to either this:

public static void main(String[] args) {
    String playerOne = "this is blank";
    playerOne = lols(playerOne);
    System.out.println(playerOne);
}

or to this, and directly use the returned value without storing it:

public static void main(String[] args) {
    String playerOne = "this is blank";
    System.out.println(lols(playerOne));
}

answered Sep 24 '20 at 07:03

Stultuske

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An explanation on why their code doesn't work would probably be helpful here. E.g. [Passing a String by Reference in Java?](https://stackoverflow.com/a/1270782/11441011) – maloomeister Sep 24 '20 at 07:07
the explanation is: the OP isn't using the returned value, as is stated in the first sentence of my answer. – Stultuske Sep 24 '20 at 07:08
1

@Stultuske yes, but OP is clearly expecting to be able to modify the string pointed to by `playerOne` by passing it to the method. – Federico klez Culloca Sep 24 '20 at 07:09

Return a string to main method

1 Answers1