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Thread: Break it down

  1. #1
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    Default Break it down

    Could anyone break down the terms for the Java programming language? Could you tell me what the terms mean. Such as:


    class Car{}; // minimal dummy class
    Car[] cars1; // null reference
    Car[] cars2 = new Car[10]; // null references
    for (int i = 0; i < cars2.length; i++)
    cars2[i] = new Car();
    // Aggregated initialization
    Car[] cars3 = {new Car(), new Car(), new Car(), new Car()};
    cars1 = {new Car(), new Car(), new Car()};


    I have no idea why those symbols are needed. Please explain.


  2. #2
    Super Moderator helloworld922's Avatar
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    Default Re: Break it down

    Ok, first of all the first line has a few syntax errors. It should be this:
    class Car{}

    This basically tells Java that you are creating a class named Car. Anything between the curly brackets defines what a Car is, and how it can be used. It's a dummy class because there's nothing in there

    Car[] cars1;
    This is NOT a null reference. Instead, this is a variable declaration. Variable declarations tell the compiler that you may sometime in the future want to use a variable called cars1, which holds an array of Car.

    Car[] cars2 = new Car[10];
    Again, this is not a null reference. Instead, this is another variable declaration, with an instantiation. Instantiation simply means setting the variable to that value. new Car[10] is creating an array of Car with 10 elements. The special thing about instantiating arrays is that they are set to a null default value, rather than being un-initialized.

    for (int i = 0; i < cars2.length; i++)
    {
         cars2[i] = new Car();
    }
    I changed what you originally had to make things a little clear-er. the first line is the declaration of a for loop. A for loop works like this:

    for( intialization_step; condition; increment_step)
    {
         // commands to run while condition is true
    }

    Here's how it gets executed:
    1. Run the intialization_step
    2. Test the condition
    3. If true, run the commands between the curly brackets. Else, end.
    4. run the increment_step
    5. Go back to 2 and continue the process

    Car[] cars3 = new {new Car(), new Car(), new Car(), new Car()};

    This declares the variable cars3 and instantiates it. Arrays are special because you can use the curly brackets to create an initial array in this manner.
    cars1 = {new Car(), new Car(), new Car()};
    Since earlier we declared we wanted to use a variable called cars1, here we are actually using it. Again, like above it instantiates cars1.

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    JavaPF (January 4th, 2010)

  4. #3
    Super Moderator Json's Avatar
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    Default Re: Break it down

    Just to clarify some things.

    Car[] cars1;

    Now this will result in a null reference because you are just creating a reference but not an actual array object.


    Car[] cars2 = new Car[10];

    This actually creates the array object but all the 10 entries in it will be null.


    Car[] cars3 = new {new Car(), new Car(), new Car(), new Car()};

    This contains a syntax error because you should not use the new keyword in front of the array initialisation.

    // Json

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  6. #4
    Super Moderator helloworld922's Avatar
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    Default Re: Break it down

    lol, i missed that last one. And no, Json. Car[] cars1 does not create a null reference. It is un-initialized, and holds no value at all (not even null!). It's true that in other programming languages (C/C++) this line would auto-initialize to null if no custom initializing is done, but Java would prefer to throw a compile error if you tried to use a variable with no value at all.

  7. #5
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    Default Re: Break it down

    True, good point.

    // Json

  8. #6
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    Default Re: Break it down

    Wow o.O

    I wasn't expecting to get such detailed responses. Thank you guys so much for your time!

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