The game of statics

[Harshad Raut]

I read on all the forums so many times that Static methods cannot be inherited and cannot be overridden. But I came across the code which is allowing me to override and inherit static methods. Please go through the code below for overriding the static method.


package foo;

class A{

A(){
System.out.println("Here is A's constructor");
}

public static void print()
{
System.out.println("Printing A");
}

}

public class B extends A{

B(){
System.out.println("Here is B's constructor");
}

public static void print()
{
System.out.println("Printing B");
}


public static void main(String[] args){

B b = new B();

B.print();

A.print();

}
}

The output I got for this was allowing me to override this method print. It worked fine. Please let me know if it is really possible to override and inherit static method.

[Srinivasan thoyyeti]

Hi Harshad,

Originally posted by Harshad:I read on all the forums so many times that Static methods cannot be inherited and cannot be overridden. But I came across the code which is allowing me to override and inherit static methods. Please go through the code below for overriding the static method.

Whar do you mean by inheritance ?

try this :
A a = new B();
a.print();
you will know it by yourself !

[Keith Lynn]

That example doesn't demonstrate overriding.

Static methods can be inherited by subclasses.

However, you cannot override them.

[Srinivasan thoyyeti]

Hi Keith,

I just want Harsad to know the fact that "overriding will not take place by that code."

You got me wrong. So sad.

[Keith Lynn]

Sorry Srinivasan. My post was a comment to the OP, not a criticism of your post.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Harshaut Raut, welcome to the Ranch.

Posted by Srinivasan thoyyeti

try this :
A a = new B();
a.print();

Now try this

try this :
//A a = new B();// No object created
A.print();
B.print();

You have two separate methods in different classes, which just happen to have the same name.

Try this:-

package foo;
 
class A{
   A()
   {
       System.out.println("Here is A's constructor");
   }
 
   public static void print()
   {
      System.out.println("Printing A");
   }
 
}
 
public class B extends A
{
   B()
   {
       System.out.println("Here is B's constructor");
   }
 
   @Override
   public static void print()
   {
      super.print();
      System.out.println("Printing B");
   }
 
   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
      B b = new B();
      B.print();
      A.print();
   }
}

Result: won't work. You are not overriding at all.