A Variable doesn't exist in the current context

Question

(I'm a beginner and just started learning C# in college/A-level, so my code is really inefficient).

Anyway, the code below is just a part of my "CinemaBookingSystem" and because my variable filmName is declared outside of my switch case, it says that "filmName" does not do not exist in this context. I tried using the "public static string filmname = "example";" method but that won't work because I'm declaring filmname more than once inside different if statements.

if (filmNum == 1)
    string filmName = "Teenage Horror Film";
if (filmNum == 2)
    ;
string filmName = "How I Live Now";
switch (filmNum)
{
    case 1:
    case 2:
        if (Age >= 15)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("What date do you want to watch the film? (Format : dd/mm/yyyy) :");
            DateTime dateChoice = DateTime.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
            DateTime now = DateTime.Now;
            DateTime limit = now.AddDays(7);
            if (dateChoice >= now && dateChoice <= limit)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("--------------------");
                Console.WriteLine("Aquinas Multiplex");
                Console.WriteLine("Film : {0}", filmName);
                Console.WriteLine("Date : {0}", dateChoice);
                Console.WriteLine("--------------------");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Access denied - date is invalid");
            }
        }

        while (Age < 15)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Access denied - You are too young");
        }
        break;
}

Answer 1

You need to declare it outside of the if statements and just asign the value inside (make sure there is a default value in case neither if gets triggered). Also you have semicolons right behind your if statements.

Answer 2

Kenny, since you declare variable filmName in condition statement it is not accessible in switch. You need to declare it before if:

string filmName = string.empty;
if (filmNum == 1) ;
        {
            filmName = "Teenage Horror Film";
        }
        if (filmNum == 2) ;
        {
            filmName = "How I Live Now";
        }

        switch (filmNum)
        {
            case 1: case 2:
                if (Age >= 15)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("What date do you want to watch the film? (Format : dd/mm/yyyy) :");
                    DateTime dateChoice = DateTime.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
                    DateTime now = DateTime.Now;
                    DateTime limit = now.AddDays(7);
                    if (dateChoice >= now && dateChoice <= limit)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("--------------------");
                        Console.WriteLine("Aquinas Multiplex");
                        Console.WriteLine("Film : {0}", filmName);
                        Console.WriteLine("Date : {0}", dateChoice);
                        Console.WriteLine("--------------------");
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("Access denied - date is invalid");
                    }
                }

                while (Age < 15)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Access denied - You are too young");
                }
                break;

        }
    }
}