Thread: Some Beginner questions

So I got really bored and decided to pick up java in my spare time over the past two weeks.
The java tutorials have been extremely helpful in helping me understand the basics of classes, methods, etc., but when it really comes down to the more advanced things like field and method modifiers, I'm simply lost.
Here's to you guys a couple of questions =D

1. "The most common reason for using the this keyword is because a field is shadowed by a method or constructor parameter."
Here's my problem. I don't get what's the difference between using the this operator and not using it. Dosen't the constructor's parameters belong already to the object that is being created? And what does it mean by shadowing the class's field?

2. What is the difference between subclassing and import.filename? When you import another class to a class,the class gets all the methods of the imported class, similiar to subclassing, isn't it?

I really hope to clear up these misconceptions as soon as possible D; I really feel that I shouldn't proceed any further without mastering the basics. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by Norm

An example

class SomeClass {
   int someVar = 33;  // class variable
 
   void someMethod() {
      int someVar = 0;  //  a variable that shadows the class variable
      ...
 
      int x = someVar;           //  gets the value of the local variable
      int y = this.someVar; ;  // gets the value of the class variable
     ...
   } // end someMethod()
} // end class

Thanks for the reply
1. So, when you type this.someVar in a method, you are referring to the class's variable? Is it safe to say so in every case?

2.If I have the following code, would someMethod print out 33? Since I have not "shadowed" the someVar class variable?

class SomeClass {
   int someVar = 33;  // class variable
 
   void someMethod() {
     system.out.println("someVar=" + someVar);
     ...
   } // end someMethod()
} // end class

3. Say I have this

class SomeClass {
   int someVar = 33;  // class variable
 
   void someMethod() {
     int x = this.someVar;
     ...
   } // end someMethod()
} // end class

Why not just change int x = this.someVar into int x = 33?

The difference between imports and subclasing is this:

Suppose I have an Enemy class. And I have a class calles Atker that is a subclass of Enemy. You would probably, for neatness, put Atker and Enemy in the same package, called 'enemies'. If Atker was a subclass of Enemy, and Enemy contained a method called move(), then In the Atker class, we can use move(), as if it was in the class Atker.
Now suppose we have a class called World (Using Game examples because I find them easiest), World accesses methods from Entity like this:
Create object of Entity.
Call some methods from it. So only use a subclassing if it is inheriting a class, or is a specific thing. Atker is an Enemy, so we make it subclass of Enemy, but World isn't an enemy, so we make an object.

So the next time you see import pack.watevar, Remember that it only lets you create objects of that type, (Which in this case is watevar) because if it is in another package, your class can't see it!
Hope this helps.

Thanks! Just one final question. What if i wanted to call up a void method? Do i use subclassing?

Originally Posted by Norm

Calling a method and extending a class (subclassing) are two completely different things.

Now I'm really confused.
Extend a class = modify functionality right?
Import a class = ability to create objects without doing the classname.methodname right?

I just learnt of public, private and static modifiers
If i set a method to private, will extending the class in which the method belongs to give me access to use or overwrite it?
If i set a method to public, I can use it in any case, but cant overwrite it unless i extend the class it is in, right? O.O

Is there any chat room for this forum around? I think I'm going to ask lots of questions haha =D.

Could anyone link me a somewhat advanced program I could learn from? Like, a command line calculator with user input, etc.

Edit:
I meant the sourcecode, apologies.