FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.5.0_05"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_05-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_05-b05, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
If a variable is declared final but is not assigned a value, compilation fails if the variable is assigned different values in different catch blocks, and the only assignments occur in the catch blocks.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
This was not working in 1.4.2, but it did work in earlier versions, including 1.4.1_01, 1.3.1_04, and 1.1.8. There's no option in the bug report form for JDK earlier than 1.4.2.

  To reproduce, declare a final variable but do not assign it a value. Write a try/catch block with multiple catch blocks, and in each catch block, assign the variable. The compile will fail with the message "variable x might already have been assigned". If only one catch block is present, no compile error occurs.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Compilation should succeed if a final variable can be assigned only once in multiple catch blocks and no previous assignment was made.
ACTUAL -
Compilation fails with message "variable x might already have been assigned"

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
variable x might already have been assigned

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.io.IOException;

public class TestFinals
{
public void function()
{
final String v;
try {
doSomething();
} catch ( IOException e ) {
v = "value1";
} catch ( InterruptedException ie ) {
v = "value2";
}
}

private void doSomething() throws IOException, InterruptedException
{
boolean a = true;
boolean b = false;

if ( a )
throw new IOException();
if ( b )
throw new InterruptedException();
}
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Remove the final modifier from the variable declaration.