Question on inner classes

[shuba gopal]

class A { void m() { System.out.println("outer"); } }
public class TestInners {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new TestInners().go();
}
void go() {
new A().m();
class A { void m() { System.out.println("inner"); } }
}
class A { void m() { System.out.println("middle"); } }
}
[code=java]

The output printed is "middle". I understand why "inner" will not be printed. Why isnt "outer" printed?

[Piyush Joshi]

Hi

Outer will not be printed because Inner Class A will shadow the outer Class A.

This shadowing is similar to shadowing of the instance variables by local variables with same names.

[shuba gopal]

Piyush, thanks and Welcome to the ranch

[shuba gopal]

public class Navel {
private int size = 7;
private static int length = 3;
public static void main(String[] args) {
new Navel().go();
}
void go() {
int size = 5;
System.out.println(new Gazer().adder());
}
class Gazer {
int adder() { return size * length; }
}
}
[code=java]

The way size variable is used is an example of shadowing. Am I right?

[Piyush Joshi]

Yes somewhat like that.

More elaborately:

public class Navel {
	private int size = 7;
	private static int length = 3;

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		new Navel().go();
	}

	void go() {
		int size = 5;//this size is local to this method.
		// if you use size inside this method then value will be 5, not 7

		System.out.println(size); //here size value is 5 (this is shadowing)

		System.out.println(new Gazer().adder()); //scope of this local size variable ends here
	}

	class Gazer {
		int adder() {
			//here size value is 7 (no shadowing)
			return size * length;
		}
	}
}

[shuba gopal]

Thanks Piyush