public strictfp abstract class A{}

[Tiju Thomas]

Hi all, is this combination [strictfp and abstract modifiers foa a class] possible? I just dived into Kathy/Bert's book

[Campbell Ritchie]

Welcome to JavaRanch

Have you tried it? The compiler is usually very quick to tell you you have made a mistake. There should be more details in the Java Language Specification. You will have to find the index.

[Deepak Bala]

Originally posted by Tiju Thomas:
Hi all, is this combination [strictfp and abstract modifiers foa a class] possible? I just dived into Kathy/Bert's book

Did you compile it ?

[Tiju Thomas]

Thanks Campbell and John. It compiled fine.

But my doubt arised due to this line in the book.

"Because interface methods are abstract, they cannot be marked final,
strictfp, or native"

I thought why not then for abstract classes?

[Swapnil Sonawane]

Abstract classes may include non-abstract methods as well.

[Ivan Ivanic]

the rule that you written here is applicable only to interface METHODS.
you can apply strictfp on interface or abstract class declaration, but you can not use it on abstract methods whether they belong to class or to interface.

 public strictfp interface Someable{ //ok
    strictfp double calculate(float f1,float f2); // compile error
}
 
public abstract strictfp class SomeClass{ //ok
    public abstract strictfp double calculate(float f1, float f2); //compile error
}   

[Tiju Thomas]

Thanks Ivan and Swapnil

[Daniel Del Moral]

It's important that you understand what strictfp do. This is a modifier that guarantee that all floating point operation will behave a certain way (according to a standard that I don't actually know). Java is capable of more precise calculations that that standard, but it�s usually used when you are expecting an exact output on a floating point operation. So, as you can see, this is a modifier that involve implementation, and can be applied to classes or method were there actually can be implemented operations.

On interfaces, there is no non-abstract methods, so it doesn't apply. On abstract classes, there can be non-abtract methods, so it can be strictfp and will aplly only to those methods implemented. On abtract methods, there is no implementation, so strictfp doesn't apply either.
[ May 29, 2008: Message edited by: Daniel Del Moral ]