== & equals()

[ram shah]

What would be the output?

code
-----------------------------------
public class EqualsTest{

public static void main(String[] args){
String s1 = "abc";
String s2 = s1;
String s5 = "abc";
String s3 = new String("abc");
String s4 = new String("abc");
//if we remove the brackets around "s1 == s5' it gives a different result.
System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s5));
System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s2));
System.out.println("Using equals method : " +s1.equals(s2));
System.out.println("== comparison : " +s3 == s4);
System.out.println("Using equals method : " +s3.equals(s4));
}
}
-----------------------------------------

s1 & s2 point to the same object & have same content.
s3 & s4 have same reference.

I feel the output should be,
== comparison : false // incorrect.output is true
== comparison : true // correct
Using equals method :true // correct
== comparison : true // incorrect.output is false
Using equals method :true //correct

Can somebody explain?

[Chandra Bhatt]

if we remove the brackets around "s1 == s5' it gives a different result.

See the + (concatenation operator).
Suppose when you write:
System.out.println("== comparison : " +s1 == s5);
Comparison is made between "== comparison : abc" and "abc"



Thanks,

[ram shah]

Thanks Bhatt for your explanation. Pls explain the output also...

[Nik Arora]

Hi Ram,

What would be the output?

code
-----------------------------------
public class EqualsTest{

public static void main(String[] args){
String s1 = "abc";
String s2 = s1;
String s5 = "abc";
String s3 = new String("abc");
String s4 = new String("abc");
// if we remove the brackets around "s1 == s5' it gives a different result.
System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s5));
System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s2));
System.out.println("Using equals method : " +s1.equals(s2));
System.out.println("== comparison : " +s3 == s4);
System.out.println("Using equals method : " +s3.equals(s4));
}
}
-----------------------------------------

s1 & s2 point to the same object & have same content.
s3 & s4 have same reference.

I feel the output should be,
== comparison : false // incorrect.output is true
== comparison : true // correct
Using equals method :true // correct
== comparison : true // incorrect.output is false
Using equals method :true //correct

Can somebody explain?

look at the code below
String s1 = "abc";
String s2 = s1;
String s5 = "abc";
String s3 = new String("abc");
String s4 = new String("abc");
// if we remove the brackets around "s1 == s5' it gives a different result.
System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s5));
System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s2));
System.out.println("Using equals method : " +s1.equals(s2));
System.out.println("== comparison : " +s3 == s4);
System.out.println("Using equals method : " +s3.equals(s4));

"abc" will be created in string pool so when you again assign it to another string it will again refer to it so in the below output it will be true

System.out.println("== comparison : " +(s1 == s5));


Regards
NIK
SCJP 1.5

[Manfred Klug]

A more in depth explanation can be found here: http://www.javaranch.com/journal/200409/Journal200409.jsp#a1

[ram shah]

Thanks Nik & Manfred for your help..

The document was of great help.