Can't read variable inside try catch

Question

String selectedDate = "2012-" + createdMonth
        + "-" + createdDay;

SimpleDateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-mm-dd");

try {
    Date createdDate = dateFormat.parse(selectedDate);
} catch (ParseException e1) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e1.printStackTrace();
}

int x = JOptionPane.showOptionDialog(frame,
    "Here is your new booking schedule:\n "
        + "Timeslot: "
        + selectedTimeslot + "\n"
        + "Date: " + createdDate + "\n"
        + "Continue?",
    "Booking Confirmation",
    JOptionPane.YES_NO_OPTION,
    JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE, null,
    options, options[1]);

The problem is that createdDate in the JOptionPane can't be resolved to a variable. why is that? I've tried everything like initializing the Date object outside the try catch but it still doesn't work. Help!

Answer 1

Because the variable is out of scope once the try block is completed. Move you jOptionPane code to inside the try block or move the createDate declaration outside the try block.

Answer 2

You're defining the variable inside the try-catch block, which is its own scope. Outside the try block, the variable is 'out of scope', so 'doesnt exist' at the later point.