Thread: I have a question related to instanceof operator

Hi All,

As per my knowledge, the instanceof operator compiles only if the reference type compared to class type are in the same inheritance tree.
According to that, below code should not compile but it compiles FINE!!.
Please correct me if I am wrong and please help me for the reason.

Output:No output generated since the if condition fails

public class InstanceOfTest implements Inter{
 
public static void main(String arg[]){
 
Inter iot = new InstanceOfTest();
 
if(iot instanceof Someone) //here Inter(interface) and Someone(class) are not in the same inheritance tree.
System.out.println("iot is a Someone");
 
}
 
}
 
interface Inter{}
 
class Someone{}

Cross posted here.

Thank you for fixing.

Where do you get the understanding that, "the instanceof operator compiles only if the reference type compared to class type are in the same inheritance tree?"

Hi Greg,

I got the below information from SCJP Kathie Sierra:

You can't use the instanceof operator to test across two different class hierarchies.
Below code will NOT compile.

class Cat{}
class Dog{
 
public static void main(String arg[]){
 
Dog d = new Dog();
System.out.println(d instanceof Cat);
 
}
}

Perhaps it would help if you drew out the class hierarchies on paper.

Hi Aussiemcgr,

System.out.println() CAN take boolean and that is not the issue.

we can always declare and print boolean values

boolean b = true;
System.out.println(b);  //output is true

--- Update ---

For my Dog Cat Example, the error is as below:

C:\java_aug2013>javac Dog.java
Dog.java:7: error: inconvertible types
System.out.println(d instanceof Cat);
^
required: Cat
found: Dog
1 error

--- Update ---

Greg,

My Examples above are simple and class hierarchies are direct.
Someone extends Object;
InstanceOfTest extends Object implements Inter;

--- Update ---

Guys,

Now I can understand that!!!

1. In Dog and Cat Example, Dog or sub-types of Dog can never be a Cat since Class can extend only one Class.
Therefore compilation fails.

2. But in InstanceOfTest Example, there can be a class which is sub-type of Someone and also implements Inter.
Therefore code need to compile since Compiler never knows what object is being created at runtime

Thank you for explaining.