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Thread: Variable Scope

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    Default Variable Scope

    Hi, can you answer me this.

    With class variables (a variable which is not declared in a body of any method), what are their scope?

    And why do I have to put "public static" in front of class variables, should they not be available to all methods already?


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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    An instance variable of a class has scope that is defined by the scope of the object created (although - depending upon the access modifier, may or may not be accessed directly). static makes a variable 'constant' across all instances of a class, and does not require an class to be instantiated to be accessed - there is a big difference between an instance variable and a class variable.

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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    So we make class variables a static variable so that we can use it without instantiating it?

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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    If so, then why dont we make variables inside methods static also?
    Last edited by TP-Oreilly; October 5th, 2011 at 02:00 PM.

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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    Quote Originally Posted by TP-Oreilly View Post
    If so, then why dont we make variables inside methods static also?
    A static variable has the same value across all instances. If you want values to differ from one instance to the next, then static isn't appropriate. This is more often the case. As an extreme example, take the String class...imagine if the data within this class were declared static - one could never have 2 string's with different values.

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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    I understand that the static keyword makes a variable have the same value across all instances, but I dont understand why when I put...

    import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
    public class Scope2 {
     
    	static int b = 20;
     
    	public static void main(String[]args){
     
    		JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "The number " + b);
    	}
    }

    ...I have to put the "static" keyword in front of the "int b = 20;", seeing as we dont have to put the "static" keyword in front of variables created inside methods?

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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    Because the main method is static...and there is no instance of Scope2 created (you need to create an instance of Scope2 for b to be available - if it is not static). For example, a non-static variable
    import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
    public class Scope2 {
     
    	int b = 20;//not static
     
    	public static void main(String[]args){
    		Scope2 scope = new Scope2();     
    		JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "The number " + scope.b);
    	}
    }

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    Default Re: Variable Scope

    Ok, thanks. So basically we use the static keyword for two reasons. 1. to make a variable have the same value across all instances and 2. to allow variables to be used without creating an instance of a class, which is why we can use the variables without using it from an object.

    Correct?

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