are static members inherited?

[pitambari parekh]

Are static variables and methods of super class inherited in sub class???
according to me they aren't...
But how can we use the static variables in our sub class??
Means are they visible to subclass ??
class Super
{
int i =1;
static int k = 2;
public static void print()
{
System.out.println(k);
}
}
class Sub extends Super
{
public void show()
{
System.out.println(" k : " + k);
}
public static void main(String []args)
{
Sub m =new Sub();
m.show();
print();
}
}

[Ulf Dittmer]

So does this code compile and run? If so, what does that means with regards to your question? If not, what does that mean?

You might also play around with the access modifiers of i and k -private, protected, public- to see if that makes any difference.

[Campbell Ritchie]

More of a beginner's question.

Have you tried your two classes? Do they work?

[Michael Jennings]

hi

a static member is, if i may say so, a class property or behaviour.
taking an oft-repeated example, we can have an Employee class that has,
1. a static integer/long variable empId
2. a static method generateEmpId() that assigns and increments the empId whenever a new Employee object is constructed

another way to look at static members of a class is as, Global Methods or Global Constants.

think, how you would design your app ?

[dhwani mathur]

i tried the above given program,i got the output as below

k:2
2

what does it prove i think definately static methods and variables can be inherited in the sub class using super class...isnt it?
please correct me if i am in a wrong direction....

[pitambari parekh]

The code runs perfectly.. And thats the reason i have a Doubt...

I'm very sure that static members are not inherited.
I just want a reason how am i able to print static members of super class in my sub class??
If i'm able to print, means these static members are visible in my sub class, means they are inherited which contradicts the statement that static members are not inhrited..

[John Dell'Oso]

Perhaps this old JavaRanch thread on the same topic may help you.

Are statics inherited?

Regards,
JD

[pitambari parekh]

Thanks John Dell'Oso ...
Just to confirm what i've understood is that(only from the accessible point of view) static variables and methods are kept with class file of super class and so are accessible in sub class...

They are not inherited ...

And when i'm printing "k" or calling "print()" in my code, internally it is read as " Super.k " and " Super.print()"

Please let me know if I'm right???
Thanks ...

[Pradeep Kumar Tiwari]

Hello everybody...
Guys I would like to share my knowledge in java with all java lovers out there!

First of all let me tell you that static members are those members which can be accessed directly without creating an object of that particular class, when static members of a class is used in some other class then it should be used by specifying the class name .(dot) static member's name(e.g. A.i in the following example), and also if any subclass class is getting inherited from a super class which has static members and if both subclass and super class are in the same package then that static members can be accessed from the base class without even using the class name of the super class. Please go through the
Example:

package myProg;
class A
{
    static int i = 10;
    A()
    {
         System.out.println("Inside A()");
    }
}

class B extends A
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
		System.out.println("i = " + i);  //accessing 'i' form superclass without specifying class name
        System.out.println("A.i = " + A.i);  //again accessing 'i' with the class name .(dot) static member  'i' 
		
		/*
		we can also use the super class' object in order to access the static member compiler
		will not show any error but it is not the exact way of using static members. static members are created 
		so that it could be used without creating the class object. see below the usage of object to use the 
		static member i.
		*/
		A obj = new A(); //creating class A object and A() also gets called
		obj.i = 20;
		System.out.println("obj.i = " + obj.i);
	}
}

/*
This program was to show the usage of static member. Now, lets discuss on the topic of static member inheritance.
SO GUYS I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT STATIC MEMBERS ARE NOT INHERITED. This undermentioned program is 
to show the inheritance of static members.
*/
class A 
{
	static int i = 10; //initially the value of i is 10
	static int j = 20; //lets use one more static member int j, just to see the value of it through class A, and B
	static  
	{
	/*
	This is static initialization block(SIB) of class A, 
	SIB gets executed first in the order of top to bottom only one time 
	when the class is loaded.
	*/ 

		System.out.println("A-SIB");
	}
}
class B extends A
{
	static
	{
		i = 12;//trying to modify the i's value to 12
		System.out.println("B-SIB");
	}
}
class D extends A
{
	static int k = 15;
	static 
	{
		System.out.println("D-SIB");
	}
}
class C
{
	public static void main(String [] arhs)
	{
		System.out.println("D.k: " + D.k);
 /*here we are trying to access the static member k from class D, 
											it will	try to search this class and then that class 
											will be loaded first i.e. SIB of class D will be loaded and SOP
											statement of class D will be printed first. When the class loading
											is done then the compiler will search for the static int k in class
											D and if found SOP statement will be executed with the value of k.
											*/
											/*
											ONE GROUND RULE: as soon as the compiler see this statement the compiler will load 
											class D into the memory, loading of class into memory is nothing but 
											storing all the static members (i.e. static constant & SIBs) into the
											memory.
											*/

		
		System.out.println("B.i: " + B.i); 
/*Now, this is what we are talking about... we think that static int i's
											value is there in class B and when we write B.i it compiles and executes 
											successfully BUT... there compiler is playing a major role at this statement...
											Try to understand now... we know that class B is the subclass of class A
											BUT when the compiler sees this statement it will first try to search 
											the static int i inside class B and it is not found there, then since it is
											the subclass of A, the compiler will search in class A and it is found 
											there. NOW, WHEN STATIC INT I IS FOUND IN CLASS A THE COMPILER WILL CHANGE
											THIS STATEMENT B.i TO A.i and the class B WILL NOT AT ALL BE LOADED INTO
											THE MEMORY BECAUSE STATIC I IS ONLY PRESENT IN CLASS A. But in the previous 
											statement static int k is present inside class D so when we try to access k's value
											the class D will be loaded into memory i.e. SIB will be executed and then 
											the SOP statement of the value of k. USING B.i IS NOT WRONG BUT COMPILER 
											ASSUMES THAT THE PROGRAMMER HAS MADE A MISTAKE AND IT REPLACES THE CLASS NAME 
											B.i TO A.i. Thus this show that static members are not inherited to the subclass.And 
											therefore the vaue of i will NOT BE CHANGE TO 12 AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE SIB OF 
											CLASS B, it will be 10 only..
											*/



		System.out.println("A.j: " + A.j);//this statement will be executed as it is, compiler will not make
		System.out.println("A.i: " + A.i);//any modifications to these statements.								   
										  
		
		System.out.println("B.j: " + B.j);//again compiler will modify this statement from B.j to A.j
		
	}
}

Guys if you still have any confusion mail me at this email-id:
<removed>

Regards
Pradeep Kumar Tiwari

[Rob Spoor]

Welcome to the Ranch, Pradeep!

You should UseTheForumNotEmail. I have removed your email address. This will also prevent spammers from finding it.