• CpE 2101L : Object Oriented Programming
DEFINING CLASSES AND
METHODS
Unit 4
Unit 4: Defining Classes and Methods
• Class and Method Definitions
• Objects and References
• Instance Variables
• Setters and Getters
Class and Method
Definitions
UNIT 4: DEFINING CLASSES AND METHODS
Class and Method Definitions
• A class as a blueprint
Class and Method Definitions
Objects that are
instantiations of the
class Automobile
Class and Method Definitions
• A class outline as a UML class diagram
Class Files and Separate Compilation
• Each Java class definition usually in a file by
itself
• File begins with name of the class
• Ends with .java
• Class can be compiled separately
• Helpful to keep all class files used by a
program in the same directory
Dog class and Instance Variables
• Sample program list, 4.1
class Dog
• Note class has
• Three pieces of data (instance variables)
• Two behaviors
• Each instance of this type has its own copies of
the data items
• Use of public
• No restrictions on how variables used
• Later will replace with private
Using a Class and Its Methods
• Sample program, 4.1
class DogDemo
Sample
screen
output
Methods
• When you use a method you "invoke" or "call" it
• Two kinds of Java methods
• Return a single item
• Perform some other action – a void method
• The method main is a void method
• Invoked by the system
• Not by the application program
Methods
• Calling a method that returns a quantity
• Use anywhere a value can be used
• Calling a void method
• Write the invocation followed by a semicolon
• Resulting statement performs the action defined by
the method
Defining void Methods
• Consider method writeOutput
• Method definitions appear inside class definition
• Can be used only with objects of that class
Defining void Methods
• Most method definitions we will see as
public
• Method does not return a value
• Specified as a void method
• Heading includes parameters
• Body enclosed in braces { }
• Think of method as defining an action to be
taken
Methods That Return a Value
• Consider method getAgeInHumanYears( )
• Heading declares type of value to be returned
• Last statement executed is return
Second Example – Species Class
• Class designed to hold records of endangered
species
• Class listing, 4.2
class SpeciesFirstTry
• Three instance variables, three methods
• Will expand this class in the rest of the chapter
• Demo List, 4.2
class SpeciesFirstTryDemo
The Keyword this
• Referring to instance variables outside the class –
must use
• Name of an object of the class
• Followed by a dot
• Name of instance variable
• Inside the class,
• Use name of variable alone
• The object (unnamed) is understood to be there
The Keyword this
• Inside the class the unnamed object can be
referred to with the name this
• Example
this.name = keyboard.nextLine();
• The keyword this stands for the receiving
object
• We will seem some situations later that require
the this
Local Variables
• Variables declared inside a method are called
local variables
• May be used only inside the method
• All variables declared in method main are local to
main
• Local variables having the same name and
declared in different methods are different
variables
Local Variables
• Sample list, 4.3
class BankAccount
class LocalVariablesDemoProgram
• Note two different variables newAmount
• Note different values output
Sample
screen
output
Blocks
• Recall compound statements
• Enclosed in braces { }
• When you declare a variable within a compound
statement
• The compound statement is called a block
• The scope of the variable is from its declaration to the
end of the block
• Variable declared outside the block usable both
outside and inside the block
Parameters of Primitive Type
• Recall method
declaration
in listing 4.2
• Note it only works for 10 years
• We can make it more versatile by giving the method
a parameter to specify how many years
• Note sample program, 4.4
class SpeciesSecondTry
Parameters of Primitive Type
• Note the declaration
public int predictPopulation(int years)
• The formal parameter is years
• Calling the method
int futurePopulation =
speciesOfTheMonth.predictPopulation(10);
• The actual parameter is the integer 10
• Sample listing,
class SpeciesSecondClassDemo
Parameters of Primitive Type
• Parameter names are local to the method
• When method invoked
• Each parameter initialized to value in corresponding
actual parameter
• Primitive actual parameter cannot be altered by
invocation of the method
• Automatic type conversion performed
byte -> short -> int ->
long -> float -> double
Pre- and Postcondition Comments
• Precondition comment
• States conditions that must be true before method is
invoked
• Example
Pre- and Postcondition Comments
• Postcondition comment
• Tells what will be true after method executed
• Example
The public and private Modifiers
• Type specified as public
• Any other class can directly access that object by
name
• Classes generally specified as public
• Instance variables usually not public
• Instead specify as private
Accessor and Mutator Methods
• When instance variables are private must
provide methods to access values stored there
• Typically named getSomeValue
• Referred to as an accessor method
• Must also provide methods to change the
values of the private instance variable
• Typically named setSomeValue
• Referred to as a mutator method
Methods Calling Methods
• A method body may call any other method
• If the invoked method is within the same class
• Need not use prefix of receiving object
Automatic Documentation javadoc
• Generates documentation for class interface
• Comments in source code must be enclosed in
/** */
• Utility javadoc will include
• These comments
• Headings of public methods
• Output of javadoc is HTML format
UML Class Diagrams
• Recall a class outline as a UML class diagram
UML Class Diagrams
• Purchase
class
Minus signs imply
private access
Plus signs imply
public access
UML Class Diagrams
• Contains more than interface, less than full
implementation
• Usually written before class is defined
• Used by the programmer defining the class
• Contrast with the interface used by programmer who
uses the class
Objects and References
UNIT 4: DEFINING CLASSES AND METHODS
Objects and References
• Variables of a Class Type
• Defining an equals Method for a Class
• Boolean-Valued Methods
• Parameters of a Class Type
Variables of a Class Type
• All variables are implemented as a memory
location
• Data of primitive type stored in the memory
location assigned to the variable
• Variable of class type contains memory
address of object named by the variable
Variables of a Class Type
• Object itself not stored in the variable
• Stored elsewhere in memory
• Variable contains address of where it is stored
• Address called the reference to the variable
• A reference type variable holds references
(memory addresses)
• This makes memory management of class types
more efficient
Variables of a Class Type
• Behavior
of class
variables
Variables of a Class Type
• Behavior
of class
variables
Variables of a Class Type
• Behavior
of class
variables
Variables of a Class Type
• Behavior
of class
variables
Variables of a Class Type
• Dangers of
using ==
with objects
Variables of a Class Type
• Dangers of
using ==
with objects
Defining an equals Method
• As demonstrated by previous figures
• We cannot use == to compare two objects
• We must write a method for a given class which will
make the comparison as needed
• Sample code listing 4.5
class Species
• The equals for this class method used same
way as equals method for String
Demonstrating an equals Method
• Sample program, listing 4.5
class SpeciesEqualsDemo
• Note difference in the two comparison methods
== versus .equals( )
Sample
screen
output
Boolean-Valued Methods
• Methods can return a value of type boolean
• Use a boolean value in the return statement
Parameters of a Class Type
• When assignment operator used with objects of
class type
• Only memory address is copied
• Similar to use of parameter of class type
• Memory address of actual parameter passed to
formal parameter
• Formal parameter may access public elements of the
class
• Actual parameter thus can be changed by class
methods
Programming Example
• Sample program, listing 4.6
class DemoSpecies
• Note different parameter types and results
class ParametersDemo
• Parameters of a class type versus parameters of a
primitive type
Programming Example
Sample
screen
output
Programming Example
• UML Diagram
Programming Example
setDimension(double , double ): void
• Method to set the length and width of the rectangle.
getLength() const: double
• Method to return the length of the rectangle.
getWidth() const: double
• Method to return the width of the rectangle.
area() const: double
• Method to return the area of the rectangle.
Programming Example
perimeter() const: double
• Method to return the perimeter of the rectangle.
print() const: void
• Method to output the length and width of the rectangle.
rectangleType()
• default constructor; set length and width to zero
rectangleType(double , double )
• constructor with parameters; length = l; width = w;
double length
double width
(optional)
Graphics Supplement
• The Graphics Class
• The init Methods
• Adding Labels to an Applet
The Graphics Class
• An object of the Graphics class represents
an area of the screen
• Instance variables specify area of screen
represented
• When you run an Applet
• Suitable Graphics object created automatically
• This object used as an argument in the paint
method
The Graphics Class
• Some methods in class Graphics
The Graphics Class
• Some methods in class Graphics
Programming Example
• Multiple faces – using a Helping method
class MultipleFaces
Sample
screen
output
The init Method
• Method init may be defined for any applet
• Like paint, method init called
automatically when applet is run
• Method init similar to method main in an
application program
Adding Labels to Applet
• Provides a way to add text to an applet
• When component (such as a label) added to an
applet
• Use method init
• Do not use method paint
Adding Labels to Applet
class LabelDemo
Sample
screen
output
References
• Walter Savitch
• Java : An Introduction to Problem Solving and
Programming 6th ed. Boston, Pearson Education ©
2015
