Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

C# C# Basics (Retired) Perfect Variable Scope

Chris Polito
Chris Polito
1,028 Points
Posted by Chris Polito
Chris Polito
1,028 Points

What does this error mean?

error CS0103: The name `output' does not exist in the current context

Program.cs 
using System;

namespace Treehouse.CodeChallenges
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {    

         string input = Console.ReadLine();

            if (input == "quit")
            {
                string output = "Goodbye.";
            }
            else
            {
                string output = "You entered " + input + ".";
            }

            Console.WriteLine(output);
        }
    }
}

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

:point_right: This challenge is all about variable scope.

It's also one of the few times where the challenge starts off with code that has errors and your task is to fix it.

If you look at the last line of the program, you'll see that it references output, but there is no such variable defined in the same (or broader) scope. Part of the challenge is establishing a definition for output in the appropriate scope, and changing definitions with initialization into simple assignments elsewhere.