Confused question from JXAM

[hanmeng]

Somebody can help me why the following result is 2, 3?
I just consider that is 3, 3. Could you please tell me the procedure. Thank you very much!
Han
==========================================
class Test {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Base b = new Subclass();
System.out.println(b.x);
System.out.println(b.method());
}
}
class Base {
int x = 2;
int method() {
return x;
}
}
class Subclass extends Base {
int x = 3;
int method() {
return x;
}
}

[Anonymous]

You are right, the result should be 3, 3.
Michgen

[Anonymous]

This is very easy question. Michgen is wrong. If you compile and run, you will get the result.
sog

[hanmeng]

Hi, Thank you for replay. I mean why the result is 2, 3. What's the precedure.
han

[michael huang]

hi, all
this question is a typical question, i have met before.
i think it would like this,
when get variable, it refer to the class, so b.x is Base.x; and method is danymic('cause polymorphism), so it is refer to real method pointer, and b.method() is SubBase.method(), reference to it's real method().
wish can help you
michael

[hanmeng]

Thanks, michael
han meng

[Anonymous]

micheal's explain is not clearly.
sog

[Anonymous]

Micheal,
you said the : Base b = new Subclass() is belong to Base?
NO, NO, NO. It's belong to Sublcass().
santoo lutina

[Anonymous]

santoo lutina is correct. but why the result is 2?
sog

[Anonymous]

I think extends Base is the reason to transfer the pointer to the Base . so , the result is 2.
sog

[Anonymous]

Some one can explain?
Michgen

[Anonymous]

I just check my note, I find that:
b.x -----> Subclass --------->extends Base ------->Base
------>Base.x=2.
please tell me I am wrong
santoolutina

[hanmeng]

Thank you santoo,
I see.
Han meng

Originally posted by santoo lutina:
I just check my note, I find that:
b.x -----> Subclass --------->extends Base ------->Base
------>Base.x=2.
please tell me I am wrong
santoolutina

[Anonymous]

santoo, why : Subclass ------> extends ------>Base.x?
I am really confused by you. Ha, ha, funny.
michgen

[mehrar]

The answer is correct. These kind of questions have been discussed a lot in passed. So advice for all is to redirect the discussion to something in the past. I dont remember the exact link but I have seen a lot of discussions on this past. Here two points are to be noted. One is the variable and the other is the method. The methods are always accessed by the "object type" and the varaibles are accessed by the "reference type". Now how to determine what is a object and what is a reference. Take this example :-
Base b = new Subclass()
This means that b is a reference of type Base class and is pointing to the object of type Subclass. So
b.variable will access the Base class variable which is 2 here beacuse the reference type is Base
b.method will access the Subclass method which will give 3 here, because the object type here is Subclass.
Thanks,

[Anonymous]

Guys, for these kind of questions apply the very simple rule below:
In inheritance, the variables are always shadowed, but for the methods the method of the actual object is invoked using the dyanamic lookup.
So, whenever u have Base b, b.x will always refer to the variable in class b - no lookup is done.
Bur for the methods, the actuall method of the object is invoked.
-sampaths77

[kavya c]

Hello guys,
I'm visiting here for the first time.This site looks very interesting.
I think answer for this question 2,3 is correct because for a variable, type is considered and for the methods the object of the method is considered.

[J. Macha]

The following is from "A Programmer's Guide to Java Certification"
"When a method is invoked on an object using a reference, it is the class of the current object denoted by the reference, not the type of the reference, that determins which method implementation will be executed. When a variable of an object is accessed using a reference, it is the type of the reference, not the class of the current object denoted by the reference, that determins which variable will actually be accessed."
page 181 2nd paragraph under Variable Shadowing.