Local Variable Declaration Issue

Question

Im getting the following error:

Cannot use local variable \'dob\' before it is declared

Here is my implementation

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Answer 1

You've declared a local variable in getFormattedDoB called dob. The compiler can't tell the difference between that and the member dob. Try adding "this" where you mean the member variable rather than the local:

DateTime origin = DateTime.Parse(this.dob);

Better still, don't use the same name for the local variable.

Edit: Unless you did actually intended to set the member variable and not create a new one. In which case remove the "string" as Andrew suggested.

Answer 2

You are redeclaring dob in

string dob = origin.ToString("d"); 

it should be

 dob = origin.ToString("d"); 

Answer 3

You have reused the variable name "dob" in getFormattedDoB as a local string, which is confusing the compiler. There are 2 possible solutions:

1. Rename the local dob in getFormattedDoB (which you really should do because it's good practice).

2. Use this.dob in the following line to specify the class level variable (which you should probably also do because it's also good practice:

   DateTime origin = DateTime.Parse(this.dob);

Answer 4

The problem is that you have two dobs- the property and the local variable. The scope of a variable declaration (string dob = ...) is the whole block (everything between the { and }). Therefore the compiler thinks that on the line:

DateTime origin = DateTime.Parse(dob);

you are using the dob variable before it is declared, when (we assume) you really meant the dob property.

As others have mentioned, you should rename the property. The standard naming convention in C# would be

public String DateOfBirth { get; set; } 
//(assuming that is what DOB stands for)

or better yet

public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }