Explicit Method Access and Inheritance

[Scott Selikoff]

This isn't a test question but I know how fond people are of test questions so I'll phrase it as such:

public class Father {
public void identify() {
System.out.println("Father");
}
public void save() {
                // PROBLEM LINE - I want it to call Father.identify() but it calls child.identify() when Child.save() is invoked
identify();
}

}
 
class Child extends Father {
public void identify() {
System.out.println("Child");
}
public void save() {
super.save();
identify();
}
 
public static void main(String[] args) {
final Child c = new Child();
c.save();
}
}

This code outputs "Child Child" when run. I'd like it to output "Father Child". Look where it says "PROBLEM LINE". Basically, I have a child method calling a parent method. Within the parent it calls another parent method that is being overwritten by a child method. I'd like it to explicitly call the parent method and ignore the overwritten child. I tried replacing it with Father.this.identify() but no luck.

Catches: can't change access levels (has to all be public).
[ August 06, 2007: Message edited by: Scott Selikoff ]

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Replace the body of Father.identify() with a call to a new method Father._internalIdentify(), which contains the current body of Father.identify(). Have Father.save() call _internalIdentify() instead of identify().

[Scott Selikoff]

Thanks Ernest, that works.

I was hoping there was more of a java-y way to do it. Some access modifier or class tool like calling this/super.

[Jim Yingst]

You could also make identify() private (at least in Parent) or static. That would allow Child to declare its own identify() method without overriding the original , and give the desired output. If that doesn't work for you, there really isn't a simpler way than what EFH suggested.