Getting the reference to an Enclosing Object from a reference to a object inside it.

[N Naveen]

Hi,
I have the following requirement.

class X{
 private String y;
public void setY(String y){
this.y=y;
}
public String getY(){
return this.y;
}
}
 
class ABC{
public static void main(String args[]){
X dummy=new X();
dummy.setString("Hello");
ABC.method1(dummy.getString());
}
public static void method1(String abcd){
 
// I want to get a reference to dummy object here.
//Is this possible.If so how ? 
}
}

Thanks in advance,
Naveen N

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

No, it's not possible, except by changing the method signature of method1 so you can pass it in as an argument.

[Andris Jekabsons]

I agree that it is best to modify method1() signature, but isn't it possible to add a static variable "X dummy" to the ABC class and then reference it from the method1()? Sure it would be shared by all ABC objects, but that's ok, because it is already shared, since main() is static, too.
Here is a modified code:

public class ABC
{
    private static X dummy = null;
 
    public static void main( String args[] )
    {
        dummy = new X();
        System.out.println( "main() : dummy # " + dummy.count + " = " + dummy );
        dummy.setString( "Hello" );
        ABC.method1( dummy.getString() );
    }
 
    public static void method1( String abcd )
    {
        // I want to get a reference to dummy object here.
        //Is this possible.If so how ?
        System.out.println( "method1() : dummy # " + dummy.count + " = " + dummy + "  && abcd = " + abcd );
    }
}
 
class X
{
    public static int count = 0;
    private String y;
 
    public X()
    {
        count++;
    }
 
    public void setString( String y )
    {
        this.y=y;
    }
 
    public String getString()
    {
        System.out.println( "getString() : this # " + count + " = " + this );
        return this.y;
    }
}

[N Naveen]

I dont wish to change it to a static variable.
Though the main method is static,the variable is still a local variable.
Thanks a lot for replying.
I guess its not possible.