when private is not so private

[Tom Adams]

This one caught me...

class Private {
Private otherPrivate;
private inti = 100;
Private() { }
Private( Private op ) {
otherPrivate= op;
}
void showIt() {
System.out.println( otherPrivate.i );// 1
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Private p= new Private( new Private() );
p.showIt();
}
}

Program result?
1. Compile Error (have you seen line 1?)
2. Runtime Exception
3. Output is 100

#3! Seems like accessing another instance's (of your class) private variables is ok.

[Dan Chisholm]

You are correct. A private member is private to the class but not private to an object instance.

[Jose Botella]

As long as the access expression to the private member (otherPrivate.i) occurs whithin the class (Private) declaring the private member (i), the access is allowed.

[Reshma Shanbhag]

Its is possible for the objects of the same class to access each others private methods because private member's is private to the class but not private to an object instance.

[Reshma Shanbhag]

Correction to the above post ...
Its is possible for the objects of the same class to access each others private methods/variables because private member is private to the class but not private to an object instance.