Unable to access Inner class issue in java

Question

local variables referenced from an inner class must be final or effectively final error is shown in the code below:

public Vector<Map<String, Object>> newsFeedConnection(String var, Hashtable punishment) {
    ConnectionRequest connectionRequest;
    connectionRequest = new ConnectionRequest() {
        @Override
        protected void readResponse(InputStream input) throws IOException {
            JSONParser p = new JSONParser();
            results = p.parse(new InputStreamReader(input));

            punishment = (Hashtable) results.get("punishment");
        }
    }
}

But when i change change it into final (code below), it gives "cannot assign a value to final variable punishment" error again.

public Vector<Map<String, Object>> newsFeedConnection(String var, final Hashtable punishment) {
    ConnectionRequest connectionRequest;
    connectionRequest = new ConnectionRequest() {
        @Override
        protected void readResponse(InputStream input) throws IOException {
            JSONParser p = new JSONParser();
            results = p.parse(new InputStreamReader(input));

            punishment = (Hashtable) results.get("punishment");
        }
    }
}

How do I solve this problem?If I set a global variable, I cannot access the value from the method in other classes.

Answer 1

You are reinitiating a final variable which is conceptually not acceptable, just change the values inside punishment without creating it again and that will solve your problem.