overriding static methods

[Ulrich Rueth]

I'm a bit confused. Though I learned during exam preparation that "static method may not be overridden" (Sybex Virtual Trainer answer), this code compiles:

class A {
static void foo() {}
}
class B extends A {
public static void foo() {}
}

Isn't this a contradiction to the statement above?
Thanks!
Ulrich

[Shivaji Marathe]

This question has been discussed here a zillion times. Please do a search on this forum and also look for a FAQ of this forum.

[Murgan Sub]

Static methods are hidden.
Instance methods are overriden

[sun ram]

We can shadow the static method,
override the non-static method.
-SR

[Gaurav Mantro]

Hi Ulrich.
Please look at the following code.

  
public class Test
{
static void main(String [] args)
{
Test objTest = (Test)new TestSub();
objTest.StaticMethod();
objTest.NonStaticMethod(); 
}

static void StaticMethod()
{
System.out.println("StaticMethod of Test");
}

void NonStaticMethod()
{
System.out.println("NonStaticMethod of Test");
}

}
class TestSub extends Test
{
static void StaticMethod()
{
System.out.println("StaticMethod of TestSub");
}

void NonStaticMethod()
{
System.out.println("NonStaticMethod of TestSub");
}
}

When this code is executed the outcome is
StaticMethod of Test
NonStaticMethod of TestSub
Which indicates that StaticMethod was not over ridden that's why the StaticMethod of the typecast object type was invoked but since NonStaticMethod was overridden, although we typecast it to be of type Test it still invoked NonStaticMethod of TestSub, which is the original object and not the typecasted one.
Hope this helps.