The Java Language Specification, Third Edition

16.5 Definite Assignment and Enum Constants DEFINITE ASSIGNMENT
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16.5 Definite Assignment and Enum Constants
The rules determining when a variable is definitely assigned or definitely unassigned
before an enum constant are given §16.8.
DISCUSSION
This is because an enum constant is essentially a static final field (§8.3.1.1, §8.3.1.2) that
is initialized with a class instance creation expression (§15.9).
• V is definitely assigned before the declaration of a class body of an enum constant
with no arguments that is declared within the scope of V iff V is definitely
assigned before the enum constant.
• V is definitely assigned before the declaration of the class body of an enum
constant with arguments that is declared within the scope of V iff V is definitely
assigned after the last argument expression of the enum constant
The definite assignment/unassignment status of any construct within the class
body of an enum constant is governed by the usual rules for classes.
Let y be an argument of an enum constant, but not the first. Then:
• V is [un]assigned before y iff it is [un]assigned after the argument to the left of
y
Otherwise:
• V is [un]assigned before the first argument to an enum constant iff it is
[un]assigned before the enum constant
DRAFT
16.6 Definite Assignment and Anonymous Classes
• V is definitely assigned before an anonymous class declaration (§15.9.5) that
is declared within the scope of V iff V is definitely assigned after the class
instance creation expression that declares the anonymous class.