Overriding question

[Don Bosco]

class Base{
public void method(String s){ }
}
class Derived extends Base{
public void method(Object o){ }
}
Are we overriding the method()??? I know that the signature should me same for overriding.
Please comment on this.

[Barry Gaunt]

No, you are just defining a method in the subclass which will not be available through a base object reference. It just happens to have the same name as that defined in the base class, that's all.
However,

    Derived d = new Derived();
    d.method("A String");  

will not compile because the compiler can not resolve the ambiguity of calling Base.method(String) or Derived.method(Object).
-Barry
[ November 01, 2002: Message edited by: Barry Gaunt ]

[Jose Botella]

In the derived class the two methods are overloaded, not overriden.

[Barry Gaunt]

Jose, I hesitated to use the term overloaded because the two methods are defined in different classes.
I'll have to check that out I guess
-Barry

[Jose Botella]

JLS 8.4.7 to the rescue:

If two methods of a class (whether both declared in the same class, or both inherited by a class, or one declared and one inherited) have the same name but different signatures, then the method name is said to be overloaded.

[Barry Gaunt]

I wasn't doubting you Jose! I stuck it in the todo box
Ok then, quick, what's JLS 12.1.3 say? C'mon no cheating, don't look...
-Barry