Abstract method query

[Rahul Saple]

Can we override an abstract method with default accessibility being declared in a public(abstract) class and in a package different than that of its subclass?

Here's the code

package A;
public abstract class Abstract
{
	abstract void print();
}

import A.Abstract;
public class Sub extends Abstract
{
	void print()
	{
		System.out.println();
	}
}

A compile-time error is what I get..
Sub.java:2: Sub is not abstract and does not override abstract method print() in A.Abstract

[Stephan van Hulst]

No. The subclass has to be in the same package, or the abstract method has to be declared protected.

[Rahul Saple]

I thought so too. But then I thought there must be a way out since the compiler doesn't flag such a use. Thanks anyway.

[Stephan van Hulst]

What would the compiler flag? It's perfectly valid to declare a package private abstract method in a public abstract class. In this case, implementations are restricted to the package, but the interface that the abstract class defines is still usable outside the package.

[edit]

Oh, I suppose you're referring to the confusing error message the compiler gives you now. Yeah, but it probably would have been marginally useful for the designers to make the compiler print a special error message just for this specific case.

[Rahul Saple]

Well, I certainly did pounce on the poor compiler to help me out on this one(not the first time). Guess I am the dumb one here.