Paul Wilson

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since Jan 22, 2001

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Recent posts by Paul Wilson

SCJP2 has no value at UNC

I'm a SCJP2. I've been programming for about 2 years. I got into programming because there were no jobs in my science specialty in my area and I couldn't move.
I just finished my first job: a 2 1/2 month contract at the University of Chapel Hill at North Carolina (servlets, JSP, JDBC, middleware, web-based content management). While there my dept created a permanent staff position and asked me to apply. I did, but was rejected by UNC's Human Resources dept. They said I didn't meet the "minimum requirements" for the job. I pointed out that I had been doing the exact job as a contractor for the last several months and was about to deliver a product having thousands of lines of code and that the job was an entry level job. They examined it again and said with another six months of experience I could apply for the lowest position they have to offer (which is about four grades below my ability level). Now the contract is up, the product is out and I'm unemployed.
UNC calls me a "computer user" with 2 1/2 months experience. I got no credit for certification. All that matters is "professional experience." I've found no recruiter in my area who cares one bit about certification. Those that will talk to you require you to take other non-Sun tests (some of which are full of mistakes). Another recruiter said "experience gets the job--certification just increases pay."
MORAL: Stay away from UNC and don't thing that being certified will open in any doors for newcomers. Certification can't compete with experience for those who are just starting out (like me).

23 years ago

Certification Results

I think this qstn from Jxam is suitable for Errata.

Originally posted by maha anna:
[B]I came across this qstn from Jxam. This qstn says, that text fields do not adjust their size according to font
...
___________________
I agree. Consider the following code which changes the font size after the call to setVisible. TextFields are sized based on the font.
That one should be in Jxam errata.

package edu; import java.awt.*; import java.awt.event.*; /** Demonstrates that size of text fields is based on font size. Inspired by M. Anna */ class TextFieldFontTest extends Frame{ TextField tf1 = new TextField(10); TextField tf2 = new TextField(10); TextField tf3 = new TextField(10); TextField tf4 = new TextField(10); public TextFieldFontTest(){ super("maha"); setLayout(new FlowLayout()); tf1.setFont(new Font("Monospaced",Font.PLAIN,24)); tf2.setFont(new Font("Monospaced",Font.PLAIN,44)); tf3.setFont(new Font("Serif",Font.PLAIN,44)); tf4.setFont(new Font("Serif",Font.PLAIN,44)); add(tf1); add(tf2); add(tf3); add(tf4); setSize(300,300); setVisible(true); //change font size after setVisible call tf4.setFont(new Font("Serif",Font.BOLD,84)); validate(); } public static void main(String[] args){ Frame test = new TextFieldFontTest(); test.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() { public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) { System.exit(0); } }); } }

24 years ago

Programmer Certification (OCPJP)

some problems regd threads as in velmurugan's notes

Originally posted by Junaid Bhatra:
Ok here are my $0.02 on the topic:
I checked my results with simple test codes.
...
Hope this helps in clearing up the confusion!

---------------
Check out absolutejava.com for a good explanation of this. http://www.absolutejava.com/articles/beware-the-daemons.html

24 years ago

Programmer Certification (OCPJP)

JTips MockExam No#39

Originally posted by Charlie Swanson:
Boy this was a good one.
This is what I understand:
1. New Processor calls the the constructor Processor in
line: Processor p = new Processor()
...
I hope this helps out. If you find out anything else please
let me know.

____________
I posted a similar problem in the Java in General(Advanced) forum. The JLS explains this problem. As I remember it the title of the post is "order of initialization with static, instance initializers" or some such. Look under my name.

24 years ago

Programmer Certification (OCPJP)

IBM Mock question

Originally posted by Praveen:
Anwser is E. I have run the code and verified it. The GridLayout Managers ignores the components preferred size. So when you have components fewer than the cells(parent Layout) it behaves strangely.

You're essentially adding one component (a panel) to a Frame that can hold three components in a GridLayout. In these situations, the contract behavior for GridLayout is to reduce the column count. If you were adding more components than dedicated slots, the contract behavior is to add to the column count. Nothing strange about it. Rows before columns.

24 years ago

Programmer Certification (OCPJP)

Order of initialization with static, instance initializers

I figured it out.
See the Java Language Specification. http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/second_edition/html/execution.doc.html#44670
"If methods are invoked that are overridden in subclasses in the object being initialized, then these overriding methods are used, even before the new object is completely initialized."
Given this fact, I think (from a philosophical standpoint)one should not invoke instance methods in constructors if there is some chance they may be overridden. Such practices could give objects an improper initial state.

24 years ago

Java in General

Order of initialization with static, instance initializers

Jerry,
Thanks for your response.
Yes, InitTestSub does override of the superclass method.
What I find confusing is that in the process of creating the subclass, the JVM should first fully "create" the superclass. At the time InitTestSuper's call to setVar() is made the subclass should not fully exist and the subclass instance method should not yet be available. At least, that's what I thought.
I guess my question is more philosophical. Should one use overridden instance methods in constructors?
By the way, I did print out the values for the variables and, as you suggested, the b variable is not altered. See the last few lines of code.

24 years ago

Java in General

Order of initialization with static, instance initializers

The following code explores the issue of static and instance initilization blocks and constructors. Does anyone know why the superclass constructor calls the "wrong" method? At the point it is called, I would assume the subclass has not yet been constructed.

package edu;
class InitTestSuper {
static int a;
int b;
static {
System.out.println("@InitTestSuper static init block");
a = 1;
}
{
System.out.println("@InitTestSuper instance init block");
b = 1;
}
InitTestSuper() {
System.out.println("@InitTestSuper constructor");
a = 2;
this.setVar();
}
public int getB() {
return b;
}
public void setVar() {
System.out.println("@InitTestSuper setVar()");
b = 2;
}
}
/** Demonstrates initialization process
*/
public class InitTestSub extends InitTestSuper {
static int c;
int d;
static {
System.out.println("@InitTestSub static init block");
c = 1;
}
{
System.out.println("@InitTestSub instance init block");
d = 1;
}
InitTestSub() {
System.out.println("@InitTestSub constructor");
c = 2;
setVar();
}
public void setVar() {
System.out.println("@InitTestSub setVar()");
d = 2;
}
public int getD() {
return d;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
if (args.length == 0) {
System.out.println("@InitTestSub main");
InitTestSub.c = 0;
}
else {
InitTestSub test = new InitTestSub();
System.out.println("a: " + a);
System.out.println("b: " + test.getB());
System.out.println("c: " + c);
System.out.println("d: " + test.getD() );
}
}
}
/* output
C:\>java edu.InitTestSub
@InitTestSuper static init block
@InitTestSub static init block
@InitTestSub main
C:\>java edu.InitTestSub asdf
@InitTestSuper static init block
@InitTestSub static init block
@InitTestSuper instance init block
@InitTestSuper constructor
@InitTestSub setVar() Why not @InitTestSuper ?
@InitTestSub instance init block
@InitTestSub constructor
@InitTestSub setVar()
a: 2
b: 1
c: 2
d: 2
*/

24 years ago

Java in General

How will XML change the software industry?

It stands to reason that if the key to market share is the ability to push a proprietary file format any move to an open standard such as XML will be seen as a threat.
If it wasn't for the proprietary file format thing, a bunch of folks from JavaRanch could get together, put out a pretty good facsimile to MSOffice2000 (100% Java:fully cross platform) and sell it for 10 bucks. How would Bill Gates feel about that.

The ability to save data in XML makes it possible for just that kind of thing to happen.
[This message has been edited by Paul Wilson (edited January 24, 2001).]

24 years ago

XML and Related Technologies

How will XML change the software industry?

One important concept in the software industry is the notion of the "proprietary file format." Software vendors like Microsoft fix it so you have to use their programs to get a file in their format. XML promises to change all that with a self-documenting, portable, validatable format for saving data. It could open up new markets for little guy programmers. Can anyone guess how Microsoft will try to stop it?

24 years ago

XML and Related Technologies