# Method of custom type not returning?
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495
**Category:** Coding Questions
**Created:** [January 7, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495 "2022-01-07T01:45:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@millibyte](https://discourse.processing.org/u/millibyte)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495/1 "2022-01-07T01:45:42Z")
I’m creating a simple football video game with object oriented programming. One problem I’m having is a method with a return type of a custom object is not returning with said object. More specifically:
I wrote the `Player` class (which corresponds with a football player, not the user) which has an attribute called `carrier`. This attribute is a boolean which is set to false by default. In the main class, I’m writing a method of return type `Player` which iterates through an array of `Player` objects, called `offense`, to find the one where `carrier` is set to true. It looks like this:
```auto
Player getCarrier() {
for(int i = 0; i < offense.length; i ++) {
if(offense[i].carrier) {
return offense[i];
}
}
}
```
However, the compiler is saying that the method is not returning an object of type `Player`. What is wrong here?
---
### Author:  [@jafal](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jafal)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495/2 "2022-01-07T03:21:04Z")
hi
> **[Reference](https://processing.org/reference/return.html)**
>
> Keyword used to indicate the value to return from a function. The value being returned must be the same datatype as defined in the function declaration. Functions declared with void can't retur…
> **[Arrays](https://processing.org/tutorials/arrays/)**
>
> How to store and access data in array structures.
---
### Author:  [@quark](https://discourse.processing.org/u/quark)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2022, 12:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495/3 "2022-01-07T12:31:25Z")
The problem here is when _all the players_ in the array are _not carriers_ i.e. `offense[i].carrier` is `false` for all elements in the array. It means the loop will finish without visiting the `return` statement.
The method is required to return an object of type `Player` or subclass of type `Player` for all paths through the method.
So the method should be
```auto
Player getCarrier() {
for(int i = 0; i < offense.length; i ++) {
if(offense[i].carrier) {
return offense[i];
}
}
return null;
}
```
and you would have to test the return value and see if it is null before using it otherwise you will get a NPE (Null Pointer Exception) error
---
### Author:  [@millibyte](https://discourse.processing.org/u/millibyte)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2022, 5:57pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495/4 "2022-01-07T17:57:34Z")
Thanks for the help!
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/method-of-custom-type-not-returning/34495/5 "2022-01-07T19:25:48Z")
> [@millibyte](#):
>
> which iterates through an array of `Player` objects, called `offense` , to find the one where `carrier` is set to true.
On the other hand: when you iterate here you search an information (find the one where `carrier` is set to true) that you have stored yourself right before.
So instead of searching the information you could go to the place (ALL places where you set `carrier` to true and additionally store the Player index: carrierPlayerIndex
Then the function would just be:
```auto
Player getCarrier() {
if(carrierPlayerIndex!=null&&carrierPlayerIndex>-1)
return offense[carrierPlayerIndex];
else
return null;
}
```