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casting

 
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Hi,

interface I1 {} interface I2 {}
class Base implements I1 {}
class Sub extends Base implements I2 {}
class Silver {
public static void main(String []args) {
Base[] base = {new Base()};
Sub sub[] = new Sub[1]; // 1
Object obj = base; // 2
sub = (Sub[])obj; // 3
I1 []i1 = (I1[])obj; // 4
}}

The answer is that,there is a runtime error at line 3(This I understood)
BUT.....why there is no runtime error at line 4.

Can anybody please explain me......

Thanks.
 
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Line 3 gives run-time error because you are trying to assign obj which has base contents to sub object.

On line 4, you are assigning obj (which contains base object) to i1 which is of type I1.
However, base implements I1 so no runtime error is generated.

Hope that helps you.
 
Puja S
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Jay,I am not able to understand your explanation......

I understood,why line 3 is giving a runtime error.....but why line 4 is NOT giving a runtime error?

thanks
 
Puja S
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Jay,I am not able to understand your explanation......

I understood,why line 3 is giving a runtime error.....but why line 4 is NOT giving a runtime error?

thanks
 
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Here we go:

I1 I2
| |
Base |
|__ __|
Sub

Just draw the hierarchy of the class/interface.

Sub sub[] = new Sub[1]; // 1
Object obj = base; // 2

sub = (Sub[])obj; // 3 Here at runtime obj refers to base objects and is assigned to object of type sub which is invalid. So runtime exception is thrown and u know it.

I1 []i1 = (I1[])obj; // 4 Here at runtime obj refers to base object and is assigned to object of type I1 which is parent of base. Definitely this is valid at runtime.

Hope this clears
 
Puja S
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Thanks Anand.....It's clear to me now.
 
Jay Pawar
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Puja,
Didn't mean to confuse you.. . I was in a rush to head home. Here is the link which explains casting with nice diagrams.
Click here
[ January 20, 2005: Message edited by: Jay Pawar ]
 
Puja S
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Thanks Jay for the link.
 
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Hi guyz im new to java and this board.

i have a question in line 4

since we are passing the derived class reference(base) to the super class ( I1 interface in our case) shoud we have to explicty type cast it .
 
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Originally posted by Anand Koppal:
I1 []i1 = (I1[])obj; // 4 Here at runtime obj refers to base object and is assigned to object of type I1 which is parent of base. Definitely this is valid at runtime.

Hope this clears



I think i1 is not parent of base. I1 is an interface reference to an object of type base. I feel Line 4 is valid at runtime because an object reference (obj) can be casted to an interface reference (i1) if the object's class implements that interface. (class base implements I1 in this case)

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks
Karthik
 
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