Exploring arrays

[Swapnil Sapar]

They say "Array objects have a single public variable length that gives you number of elements in the array"

Just wondering what is the name of the class which holds length variable?

I tried following exercise to find the name of the class of Arrays and explored(printed) its methods and fields using reflection.

 
import java.lang.reflect.*;
 
public class ArrayClass
{
 public static void main(String[] arg)
 {
  String[] myArray2 = new String[9];
  
  
  try
  {
   Class myClass = myArray2.getClass(); 
   System.out.println("CLASSNAME="+myClass);
   
   Method[] arrMethods = myClass.getMethods();
   System.out.println("method count="+arrMethods.length); 
   for(int i=0;i<arrMethods.length; i++)
   {
    System.out.println("METHOD="+arrMethods[I]); 
   }
   
   Field[] arrFields = myClass.getFields() ;
   System.out.println("arrFields count="+arrFields.length); 
   for(int i=0;i<arrFields.length; i++)
   {
    System.out.println("FIELD="+arrFields[i]); 
   }
  }
  catch(Exception exp)
  {
   System.out.println("Exception "+exp); 
  }
 }
}

The result shows following

 
CLASSNAME=class [Ljava.lang.String;
method count=9
METHOD=public native int java.lang.Object.hashCode()
METHOD=public final native java.lang.Class java.lang.Object.getClass()
METHOD=public final void java.lang.Object.wait() throws java.lang.InterruptedExeption
METHOD=public final native void java.lang.Object.wait(long) throws java.lang.InerruptedException
METHOD=public final void java.lang.Object.wait(long,int) throws java.lang.InteruptedException
METHOD=public boolean java.lang.Object.equals(java.lang.Object)
METHOD=public final native void java.lang.Object.notify()
METHOD=public final native void java.lang.Object.notifyAll()
METHOD=public java.lang.String java.lang.Object.toString()
arrFields count=0
Press any key to continue...

Q. What is the name of class of an array? Where can we find the documentation of this (array's) class?
Q. Why can't we see mysterious variable length as field?


Am I missing something here?

[ December 25, 2004: Message edited by: Swapnil Sapar ]
[ December 29, 2004: Message edited by: Barry Gaunt ]

[Swapnil Sapar]

No comments from experts ??
All the techies seem to be having gala time of X-mas.
Anyways, Merray Christmas.

[Swapnil Sapar]

No comments?