Doubt about Array length ..

[Sujit Kurtadikar]

Array is defined as
int[ ] x = new int[5];
then x.length will give value 5,
what is length? method / data member and if so then of which class (surely it will not method)
regards,
sujit

[Shrini Kulkarni]

For Arrays - "length" is data members which will specify the number of elements in the Array.

"length" can not be a method as it does not use () while being called.

[Carl Trusiak]

All arrays are an object of the Array class. length is a data member of that class. It can be a data mamber because this information is set. Try this

int[] x = new int[5];
if(x instancof Array)
{
   System.out.println("An Array object");
}

Hope This Helps

[Sujit Kurtadikar]

int [] x = new int[5];
x.getClass().getName() gives [I
if(x instanceof Array) --> this gives error Class Array Not Found
I have checked, class Array is in java.lang.reflect package
what is class for array object and what is length ?

[Ajith Kallambella]

Eventhough arrays are objects, they are instantiated without the class name, which means they don't belong to any class as such. Since arrays are objects, x instanceof Object returns true.
The java.lang.reflect.Array class provides static methods to dynamically create and access Java arrays. It is for a different purpose.
Ajith

[Sujit Kurtadikar]

Dear Ajith,
if x is array, then (x instanceof Object) gives result true.
Now it is clear to me.
Still I have doubt about .length ?
length is member of which class ? It has to be memeber of some class.
x.getClass().getName() gives result [I , what is meaning of [I
sujit
[This message has been edited by Sujit Kurtadikar (edited January 17, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Sujit Kurtadikar (edited January 17, 2001).]