overriding vs hiding

[steven gerrard]

hi
wats the difference between hiding and overriding
can some pls explain

[Mani Ram]

Check JavaRanch FAQ

[steven gerrard]

thnks a lot

kindly explain this strange output::
class b{int i=15;
public b(){
add();
}
public void add(){
System.out.println(2*i);
}
}
public class A extends b {int i =7;
public A(){
add();
}
public void add(){
System.out.println("" + (2*i));
}
public static void main(String[] args) {

A a = new A();
}

}

the output of this program is:
0
14

where does this 0 comes in output
kindly explain
[ February 07, 2006: Message edited by: steven gerrard ]

[Chris Allen]

I had to add some println statements to figure this one myself but basically, it boils down to the order in which the objects are constructed and the completion of the constructors. When the new A object is constructed, the first thing it does is run the b constructor (since there is an implicit call to the super class constructor). Within b's constructor, it calls the add() method. The key here is that it calls A's add method, not B's method (since it is an A object, it will call A's add() method). At this point, the A constructor has not completed so the value of i in the A class has not been initialized. Only once A's constructor is completed will the value of A's instance variable i be initialized to 7. The execution continues with the call to A's add() method and you get the value of 2*i, which is 14.

[steven gerrard]

Originally posted by Chris Allen:
At this point, the A constructor has not completed so the value of i in the A class has not been initialized. Only once A's constructor is completed will the value of A's instance variable i be initialized to 7. The execution continues with the call to A's add() method and you get the value of 2*i, which is 14.

SO at wat stage does 'i' in class A initialized
first of all in A s constructor super() is called

then add is called in b s constructor . but since i in A is not initalized as yet hence 0 is printed

now again add is invoked ,thi stime in A s constructor

so when did i got initialized???

[Chris Allen]

Oops , let me correct one statement:

Only once A's constructor is completed will the value of A's instance variable i be initialized to 7.

This should be b's constructor is completed will the value of A's instance variable i be initialized to 7.

Here is the modified code I used which should demonstrate this:

class b {
 
  int i=15;
 
  public b() {
    System.out.println("Value of i in b's constructor:" + i);
    add();
  }
 
  public void add(){
    System.out.println("Value of i in b's add method:" + i);
    System.out.println(2*i);
  }
}
 
public class A extends b {
 
  int i =7;
 
  public A() {
    System.out.println("Value of i in A's constructor:" + i);
    add();
  }
 
  public void add() {
    System.out.println("Value of i in A's add method:" + i);
    System.out.println("" + (2*i));
  }
 
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    A a = new A();
  }
}

[Anju sethi]

thanks for good explanation

[Maxwell Oyom]

that was a wonderful brakdown of explanation. U surely know how to teach the technology.