Dan Chisholm Mock 1 #19

[Maria Garcia]

Question 19

1.  class Basics1 {
2.    public static void main(String[] args) {}
3.  }
4.  class Basics2 {
5.    protected static void main(String[] args) {}
6.  }
7.  class Basics3 {
8.    private static void main(String[] args) {}
9.  }

What is the result of attempting to compile each of the three class declarations and invoke each main method from the command line using jdk 1.4 or any jdk that is compliant with section 12.1.4 of The Java Language Specification?
a. Compiler error at line 2.
b. Compiler error at line 5.
c. Compiler error at line 8.
d. Run time error at line 2.
e. Run time error at line 5.
f. Run time error at line 8.
g. None of the Above
Answers are
Run time error at line 5. Run time error at line 8.
This code compiled and ran without any errors on my machine.
[ January 22, 2003: Message edited by: Jim Yingst ]

[Kathy Sierra]

Howdy -- this has been corrected with version 1.4 of Java. So while it was never *supposed* to work (running a non-public main as THE main method), it still worked. That was basically a bug that they finally got around to fixing!
Which all goes to show, when in doubt trust the spec, even if it contradicts what you see in your own compiler or VM. So Dan's test is correct according to the spec, and according to the new (1.4) version.
cheers,
Kathy

[Maria Garcia]

Oh ok. Thanks Kathy

[Dan Chisholm]

Thank you Kathy!