Inherit private member

[C WL]

The following two classes are modified from the book of Khalid and Rolf

class Light {

private int noOfWatts;
private boolean indicator;
private String location;

private static int counter;

Light () {
noOfWatts = 50;
indicator = true;
location = new String("X");
} // End of constructor Light

public void switchOn() {
indicator = true;
} // End of method switchOn()

public void switchOff() {
indicator = false;
} // End of method switchOff()

public boolean isOn() {
return indicator;
} // End of method indicator();

public static void writeCount() {
System.out.println("Number of lights: " + counter);
} // End of method writeCount()

} // End of class Light
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
class TubeLight extends Light {

private int tubeLength;
private int color;

public int getTubeLength() {
return tubeLength;
} // End of method getTubeLength()

public static void main(String[] args) {
TubeLight tube = new TubeLight();
System.out.println(tube.noOfWatts);
System.out.println(tube.indicator);
System.out.println(tube.location);
System.out.println(tube.tubeLength);
} // End of method main

} // End of class TubeLight

As we know, all members from superclass should inherited to subclass. However, from the above example, TubeLight cannot inherit the private members. Furthermore, if I changed the accessibility of the private members from the superclass Light to default/protected, the TubeLight class actually run the Light() constructor. Why this is the case

(Marilyn added code tags)
[ February 02, 2003: Message edited by: Marilyn de Queiroz ]

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

Originally posted by C WL:
From the above example, TubeLight cannot inherit the private members.

Yes, private members are not inherited.

[Anonymous]

Java knows four access modifier: private protected, public and a default (there exists no
word for it)
private is only accessible in instances of the class.
public is accessible by every class/object
protected is like private, but can be inherited
default can be accessed from objects in the same pakage.
Hope this helped