🚀 go-pugleaf

Well, I guess it's time to learn about the modifier "final"!

I'm trying to spawn a thread for the printer dialog on my applet, so the
dialog has time to close on slower connections without blanking the
underlying applet GUI.  Heaven knows if my approach is even correct (that's
another question <g>) but for now I need to understand about the compiler
error message indicated a local variable (in this case printerJob) needs to
be declared final.  I've seen this in some other threads I've created (to
handle URL transactions), but have managed to sidestep this issue by
declaring and using non-local variables.

First, what is the proper syntax for this?  I've tried some obvious
permutations but with no luck.

And second, what is the significance of this modifier?


 void PrintButton_actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {

        PrinterJob printerJob=null;
        bprintpostage=jCheckPrintPostage.isSelected();
        printerJob = PrinterJob.getPrinterJob();


       Thread printthread = new Thread() {
           public void run() {
              doPrint = printerJob.printDialog();
          }
        };
        printthread.start();

        try {
            printthread.join();
        }
        catch (Exception jprintexp) {
            jprintexp.printStackTrace(System.out);
            return;
        }


TIA

Harry