Methods and variables !

[anurag dwivedi]

39. Which of the following statements are true?
A) An inner class cannot be defined as private.
B) Static methods can be overridden by static methods only.
C) Static variables can be called using class name.
D) Non static variables can be called using class name.
Ans : C
Why not B and D ?
Thanks,
Anurag

[Valentin Crettaz]

B is false since static methods cannot be overridden but merely HIDDEN by a static method in a subclass
D is false too, the result of trying to access an instance variable using the class name will give the compile-time error :
"Can't make a static reference to nonstatic variable i in class Test."

public class Test {
    
    int i;
    
    public static void main(String args[]){
Test t = new Test();
System.out.println("t.i="+t.i);
System.out.println("Test.i="+Test.i);
    }
}

However you could access i with the class name inside an instance method but using the "this" reference like this:

public class Test {
    
    int i;
    
    public static void main(String args[]){
Test t = new Test();
System.out.println("t.i="+t.i);
//System.out.println("Test.i="+Test.i);
    }
    public void test(){
System.out.println(Test.this.i="+Test.this.i);
    }
}

This works and yields
t.i=0
Test.this.i=0
But I don't see how it would be useful and why we would access i like that in an instance method !!
HIH Val
[This message has been edited by Valentin Crettaz (edited September 19, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Valentin Crettaz (edited September 19, 2001).]