Enum member variable access

[Mary John]

   enum Color{
     Red("red"), Blue("blue"), Green("green");
     Color(String n)
     {
         name = n;
     }
 String name;
     }
 
class Class {
    
    
    Class() {
    }
    public static void main(String [] args)
    {
        Color c=Color.Red;
        Color a = Color.Green;
       [B] System.out.println(a.Red.name);[/B]
        System.out.println(a==c);
    }
} 

Output of above code gives
red
false

why is it giving red? shouldnt it be a compiler error or if not give some exception. please explain..

thanks in advance

[Jesper de Jong]

The member variable 'name' in the enum doesn't have an access specifier (public, protected, private), so it has default access - which means that other classes in the same package such as class Class can access it.

See The Java Tutorial - Controlling Access to Members of a Class

Note that an enum is a kind of special class, and the access rules for classes apply to enums as well.

[ahmed yehia]

Yes, also the statement:
Color a = Color.Green;
Here 'a' is reference variable of type 'Color' that refers to an enum type 'Green'. You can use it more less you use a reference variable. The statement:
System.out.println(a.Red.name);
Its ok to access another enum type using the same variable, even you can use it to refer to another enum type: a = Color.Blue;