Jiris, Mock 1, Q9

[Cathy Song]

  
    public class Test009 extends T
   {    
       public static void main(String args[])
      {
         Test009 t = null;
         T tt = (T)t;
         System.out.print(t); //1
         System.out.print(" ");
         System.out.println(tt); //2
      }
   }
    class T{}

How come line 1/2 do not throws a null pointer exception. We are calling toString() on a null object..isnt it?
Thanks.

[Thomas Paul]

You should check the source code for these kind of questions. It will help you understand the API better.
The print(Object obj) method of PrintWriter runs the String.valueOf(Object obj) method. Whta does that method do? It has one instruction:
return (obj == null) ? "null" : obj.toString();
So if the passed in Object is null, it returns the String "null" otherwise it runs the toString method of the Object.

[Cathy Song]

Thanks Thomas.
The Jiris mock exam 1 was tricky :-)

[Adam Altmann]

What is up with the parenthesis here?
T tt = (T)t;
I've never seen that before, what does it mean?

[Simon Klaiber]

(T) casts t (type Test009) to type T. this is possible, because Test009 is a subclass of T.
Simon

[Mona Gadkari]

Originally posted by Simon Klaiber:
(T) casts t (type Test009) to type T. this is possible, because Test009 is a subclass of T.
Simon

hello
T tt = (T)t;
i wonder if this cast is necessary

[Adam Altmann]

Bah. I always forget about casting. Always. It's like I've been hypnotized to believe it doesn't exist.

[Cathy Song]

Consider the following code:

  
       String s[] = new String[3];
       System.out.println(s[2]); //line 1
       System.out.println(s[2].toString()); //line 2

Okay..I am totally confused. Why does line 1 print null, and line 2 causes expection..
Here is what I think, please correct me if I am wrong.

Thomas posted:
The print(Object obj) method of PrintWriter runs the String.valueOf(Object obj) method. Whta does that method do? It has one instruction:
return (obj == null) ? "null" : obj.toString();
So if the passed in Object is null, it returns the String "null" otherwise it runs the toString method of the Object.

So, line 1 prints null.
But in line 2 we are forcefully calling toString() for the object. Since the object is null, an expection occurs, since we are calling a method on a null object.
Thanks.