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Thread: Using a constructor within a subclass

  1. #1
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    Default Using a constructor within a subclass

    So I use Eclipse IDE. I am just practising with Java, so I'm only doing silly practise projects with stuff like Fruit classes and what not. To try out class extensions, I have one file, Fruit.java, and another, FruitRunner.java (to hold main, because putting main inside of an inner class causes Eclipse to malfunction).
    Here is the content of Fruit.java:
    package basics;
     
     
    class Fruit {
    	protected boolean has_seeds = true;
    }
     
    class Apple extends Fruit {
    	String color;
    	String type;
     
    	public Apple(String color_, String type_) {
    		String color = color_;
    		String type = type_;
    	}
     
    }

    And here is my runner:

    package basics;
     
    public class FruitRunner {
     
    	public static void main(String[] args) {
    		Apple apple1 = new Apple("Green", "Granny Smith");
     
    		System.out.println("This is a " + apple1.color + ' ' + apple1.type);
     
    		if (apple1.has_seeds) {
    			System.out.println("It has seeds");
    		}
    }
    }
    Some things to note:

    >The problem is that this will print "This is a null null" instead of a "This is a Green Granny Smith".
    >In Fruit.java, Eclipse says that apple1.color and apple1.type are never used, which of course makes sense because it manifests as null in the runner.
    >The only reason I have FruitRunner.java is because when I tried declaring main inside of that inner class, Eclipse said it failed to find main() .

  2. #2
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: Using a constructor within a subclass

    There are two variables named color declared in the Apple class, one in the constructor and one in the class. The variable in the constructor shadows/hides the class variable. IE changes to the variable declared in the constructor are not seen in the class variable.
    Change the code so there is only one variable declared at class level and refer to that one in the constructor.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Using a constructor within a subclass

    I'm afraid I don't understand. Could you be more concrete?

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: Using a constructor within a subclass

    class Apple extends Fruit {
    	String color;     //  Declare a variable named color at the class level
    	String type;
     
    	public Apple(String color_, String type_) {
    		String color = color_;   //  Declare a local variable named color.  This variable goes away when the constructor exits.
    		String type = type_;
    	}
    }
    The constructor needs to assign the value of color_ to the color variable declared at the class level.
    There should not be a variable named color declared in the constructor.

    I had mistakenly referred to the Fruit class when I meant the Apple class. Comment has been fixed.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

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    Default Re: Using a constructor within a subclass

    Change the constructor as Norm says.

    class Apple extends Fruit {
    String color;
    String type;

    public Apple(String color_, String type_) {
    this.color = color_;
    this.type = type_;
    }
    }

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: Using a constructor within a subclass

    http://www.java-forums.org/misc.php?do=bbcode#code
    Please edit your post and wrap your code with code tags:

    [code]
    **YOUR CODE GOES HERE**
    [/code]

    to get highlighting and preserve formatting.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

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