Develop Reference

In Java how to refer subclass variable without declaring that variable in parent class?

public class MyTest {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
B b = new B();
b.print();
}
}
class A {
private final int x = 5;
protected int getX() {
return x;
}
public void print() {
System.out.println(getX());
}
}
class B extends A {
private final int x = 10;
#Override
protected int getX() {
return x;
}
}
In this example, I need to print subclass value in the parent class.
It is working fine. No issue.
Now it is printing 10.
But I do not want to define that property in the parent class A.
Because in this example this x datatype is very simple. So no issue.
But in real-time I want to use other datatype which may be another Class variable or List<something> which have huge data.
So ultimately I do not wish to store that value in Class A.
Because it is redundant data. It will slow down in my Hibernate thing.
Please let me know, how to achieve this without declaring variable in parent class. But I still need to use subclass variable in parent class.

make abstract your class A and the getX(); method.
public class Test {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
B b = new B();
b.print();
}
}
abstract class A {
protected abstract int getX();
public void print() {
System.out.println(getX());
}
}
class B extends A {
private final int x = 10;
#Override
protected int getX() {
return x;
}
}
and override the toString method in place of your print method
#Override
public String toString() {
return String.valueOf(getX());
}
the final code
public class Test {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
B b = new B();
System.out.println(b);
}
}
abstract class A {
protected abstract int getX();
#Override
public String toString() {
return String.valueOf(getX());
}
}
class B extends A {
private static final int X = 10;
#Override
protected int getX() {
return X;
}
}
you could also define as static your x variable
But as say Andrew Tobilko you can consider also to use an interface if A doesn't represent a stateful entity.
It's certainly the best solution for your case, mix the use of an interface and an abstract class
public class Test {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
B b = new B();
System.out.println(b);
}
}
interface MyInterface {
int getX();
}
abstract class A implements MyInterface{
#Override
public String toString() {
return String.valueOf(getX());
}
}
class B extends A {
private static final int X = 10;
#Override
public int getX() {
return X;
}
}

You need the getX within the parent class, but you don't have information enough to implement this method there.
You can declare this class as abstract and mark the method with abstract as well. Doing that, you are handing the responsibility of method implementation over its subclasses and preventing from parent field declaration.
If the A doesn't describe any state (only actions/methods), you should consider replacing it with an interface. At the current state, it is the case.

You could make the parent class abstract, eliminate the property in the parent class, make getX() abstract, and then leave print() as concrete. Then just use the concrete implementation of getX() in the child class.

Adding specific values for inherited fields

I am having some trouble with inheritance (Student here). I need to be able to utilize 1 inherited private field for each subclass I make. Obviously subclasses cannot have access to inherited fields however when a new object is created that inherited private field is a part of that object. For my purposes though each subclass needs to have it's own specific value for that inherited field. My first attempt looks something like this:
Public class A {
private int x = 0;
public A(int n) {
x = n;
}
public int useX() {
return x;
}
}
Public class B Extends A {
int n = 1;
public B() {
super(n);
}
useX(); // Return 1?
}
Public class C Extends A {
int n = 2;
public B() {
super(n);
}
useX(); // Return 2?
}
However my professors tell me that I could also be using a setter method inside of my Super class to create that new field, and from there I am confused. Can anyone help point me in the right direction?

An ordinary Java Bean provides public accessors and mutators (aka getters and setters) for it's fields. However, you could provide a protected setter. Something like,
public class A {
private int x = 0;
public int getX() { // <-- the usual name.
return x;
}
protected void setX(int x) {
this.x = x;
}
}
Then your subclasses can invoke that setter
public class B extends A {
public B() {
super();
setX(1);
}
}
And then B.getX() (or B.useX() if you really prefer) will return 1.

Java. Implicit super constructor Settore() is undefined. must explicitly invoke another constructor

When I've Created the subclass Alieni from the Settore class I get the error "Implicit super constructor Settore() is undefined. must explicitly invoke another constructor", i've looked similar questions and the answer given was to put a default constructor in my Settore class, i've done it and still get the same error
public class Settore {
private Nome settoreNome;
private char letteraX;
private final int coordinataX;
private final int coordinataY;
private int giocatoriPresenti;
public static void main(String[] args) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
}
public int getGiocatoriPresenti() {
return giocatoriPresenti;
}
public void setGiocatoriPresenti(int giocatoriPresenti) {
this.giocatoriPresenti = giocatoriPresenti;
}
public char getLetteraX() {
return letteraX;
}
public void setLetteraX(char letteraX){
this.letteraX = letteraX;
}
public Settore (){}//suggestion given, still doesn't fix the problem, it just makes it worse
public Settore (int coordinataX, int coordinataY){
char myChar =letteraX;
int i=(int)myChar;
this.coordinataX=i-97;
this.coordinataY=coordinataY-1;
}
public int getX(){
return coordinataX;
}
public int getY(){
return coordinataY;
}
public Nome getSettoreNome() {
return settoreNome;
}
public void setSettoreNome(Nome settoreNome) {
this.settoreNome = settoreNome;
}
}
public enum Nome {
SICURO, PERICOLOSO, SCIALUPPA, ALIENI, UMANI
}
public class Alieni extends Settore {
public Alieni() {//this is where i get the error Implicit super constructor Settore() is undefined. must explicitly invoke another constructor
setSettoreNome(Nome.ALIENI);
}
}

It shows error even when you add a default constructor, bcoz the final variables you declared should have some value.They should be assigned values in the default constructor as below:
public Settore (){
coordinataX=5;
coordinataY=22;
}
Another way, if you want to use the parameterized constructor you have declared:
public Alieni()
{
super(5,6); //call to super class constructor
setSettoreNome(Nome.ALIENI);
}

You needed to add a default constructor because you need to initialize coordinataX and coordinataY:
public Settore(){
coordinataX=1;
coordinataY=2;
}
Otherwise the compiler will complain that these may not be initialized because a final member variable needs to be initialized at the declaration or in the constructor.

polymorphic call depends on variable

I have the following problem. Am trying to make a polymorphic call and the result would depend on the variable that changes value depending on the underlying class. Tried different things however it doesn't work. Please let me know what should be changed. Problem is that although c.w reads both the local variable w, which is defaulted to 0 and reads the one from appropriate class it always defaults to 0. Here is the code:
class Cycle{
private int w = 0;
public void move(){
System.out.println("Cycle moving");
}
public int wheels(Cycle c){
switch (c.w){
case 1: return 1;
case 2: return 2;
case 3: return 3;
default: return 0;
}
}
}
class Unicycle extends Cycle{
public int w = 1;
public void go(){
System.out.println("Unicycle go");
}
}
class Bicycle extends Cycle{
public int w = 2;
public void go(){
System.out.println("Bicycle go");
}
}
class Tricycle extends Cycle{
public int w = 3;
public void go(){
System.out.println("Tricycle go");
}
}
public class TestCycle {
public static void ride(Cycle c){
c.move();
int now = c.wheels(c);
System.out.println(now);
}
public static void main(String[] args){
Bicycle b = new Bicycle();
ride(b);
Unicycle u = new Unicycle();
ride(u);
Tricycle t = new Tricycle();
ride(t);
}
}

Your problem (well one of them) is that you are redefining the class variable 'w' in each of your subclasses. Define it one as a member of 'Cycle' and have each subclass set it correctly in their constructors.
class Cycle{
protected int w;
public void move(){
System.out.println("Cycle moving");
}
public int wheels(){
return w;
}
}
class Unicycle extends Cycle{
public Unicycle() {
w = 1;
}
public void go(){
System.out.println("Unicycle go");
}
}
Or you can define an abstract method called 'wheels()' in the superclass and override it in the subclasses. It's a matter of taste.

the wheels method should be more like
public int getWheelCount(){
return this.w;
}
You invoke it on the instance itself, you don't need to pass an argument. If the current instance is a Tricycle, the method will return 3, etc...

Since Cycle.w is private, it's not visible from its inheritors. This means that for example Tricycle.w it's not the "same" variable, and it's not visible in Cycle (that's why you always get 0). You have to make Cycle.w at least protected, then remove w from all subclasses, and set its value in each subclass's constructor to what you want.

It's probably not the answer you are looking for, but the following works. Please give more details on what you are trying to do.
public abstract class Cycle {
protected int nWheels;
protected String goText;
// no constructor.
public void go() {
System.out.println(goText);
}
public int wheels() {
return nWheels;
}
}
...
public class Unicycle extends Cycle {
public Unicycle() {
nWheels = 1;
goText = "Unicycle go";
}
}
Note that I made Cycle abstract because I don't want it to ever be instantiated.
EDIT:
public static int getNumberOfWheels(Cycle cycle) {
return cycle.wheels();
}
which is obviously not very useful since a simple call to cycle.wheels() would do the same as calling this function.
I'm not sure why you want to avoid constructors. Maybe you should write the exact question you are trying to answer.

Inheritance in Java

Consider the following code in Python:
class A(object):
CLASS_ATTRIBUTE = 42
def f(self):
return "CLASS_ATTRIBUTE: %d" % self.CLASS_ATTRIBUTE
class B(A):
CLASS_ATTRIBUTE = 44
Now A().f() and B().f() return "CLASS_ATTRIBUTE: 42" and "CLASS_ATTRIBUTE: 44" respectively.
How can I achieve a similar effect in Java? I want a CLASS_ATTRIBUTE field to be initialized statically and redefined in the inherited class but the f method should be only defined in the base class.

Is there a particular reason you want the attribute to be static? In Java the typical way you'd do this is to have A contain a protected variable that you then set in the constructors of the 2 classes:
public class A
{
protected int CLASS_ATTRIBUTE;
public A()
{
CLASS_ATTRIBUTE = 42;
}
public String f()
{
return "CLASS_ATTRIBUTE: " + CLASS_ATTRIBUTE;
}
}
public class B extends A
{
public B()
{
CLASS_ATTRIBUTE = 44;
}
}
Alternatively (and probably more consistent with Java design patterns) you'd declare a function that you can override to return the value instead of using a member variable.

Short answer: you cant solve it like this in Java. You'll have to solve it in another way.
In Java you can't override or "redeclare" fields in subclasses, and you can't override static methods.
It can be solved using an ugly reflection-hack (should be avoided though):
public class Main {
public static void main(String... args) {
A a = new A();
B b = new B();
System.out.println(a.f()); // Prints 42.
System.out.println(a.fReflection()); // Prints 42.
System.out.println(b.f()); // Prints 42.
System.out.println(b.fReflection()); // Prints 44.
}
}
class A {
static int CLASS_ATTRIBUTE = 42;
public int f() {
return CLASS_ATTRIBUTE;
}
public int fReflection() {
try {
return getClass().getDeclaredField("CLASS_ATTRIBUTE").getInt(null);
} catch (Exception wontHappen) {
return -1;
}
}
}
class B extends A {
// Compiles, but will not "override" A.CLASS_ATTRIBUTE.
static int CLASS_ATTRIBUTE = 44;
}

You can't do this directly with only a variable, because in Java variables cannot override (they only shadow the super classes variables).
You need to use a protected "getter" method, which can then be overridden by the subclass:
class A
{
private int attribute=42;
...
protected int getAttribute() {
return attribute;
}
}
class B
extends A
{
private int attribute=44;
...
protected int getAttribute() {
return attribute;
}
}
But note there's a special consideration to calling methods from an object's constructor, in that it allows object code to run before object construction is complete.

I'm not sure if you meant "statically" literally or not, but here's a brief example of how inheritance at it's most basic form looks in Java. Note that using a getter method to access the variable is a better idea for several reasons -- this is just an example.
public class Dog {
protected String whatISay = "Woof!";
public void speak(){
System.out.println(whatISay);
}
}
public class Poodle extends Dog {
public Poodle(){
whatISay = "Yap!";
}
}
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args){
Poodle fluffy = new Poodle();
fluffy.speak();
Dog dog = new Dog();
dog.speak();
}
}
Yap!
Woof!

This way of doing it introduces as little intrusion as I could think of. setAttribute() could be named something like setDefaultValue() if that's clearer.
public class A
{
protected int attribute;
public A()
{
setAttribute();
}
public String f()
{
return "CLASS_ATTRIBUTE: " + attribute;
}
protected void setAttribute()
{
attribute = 42;
}
}
public class B extends A
{
#Override
protected void setAttribute()
{
attribute = 44;
}
}
public class Main
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
A a = new A();
B b = new B();
System.out.println("A: " + a.f());
System.out.println("B: " + b.f());
}
}