CLASSES, OBJECTS

&
METHODS
 TOPICS TO COVER
 Introduction.

 Defining a class.

 Creating Objects.

 Accessing Class Members.

 INTRODUCTION
 Underlying structure of each JAVA programs is
CLASSES.
CREATE
CLASS
FIELDS
DATA ITEMS basic program
OBJECTS
METHODS
FUNCTIONS Components

CREATE

OBJECTS
METHODS
 DEFINING A CLASS
 A class is a user-defined data type.
 Variables and Functions can be created within
class
SYNTAX EXAMPLE
INSATNCE VARIABLES
class classname class area
{ {
field declaration; Declaring variables int side;
Instance variables are declared
int length;
exactly as LOCAL variables }

method declaration;

}
 METHOD DECLARATION
 Without methods class has NO LIFE.
 Since objects created by such class cannot respond to any

messages.
 Thus, methods are necessary for MANIPULATING DATA.

SYNTAX EXAMPLE
class area
type method-name(parameter list) {
{ int side;
int length;
void get(int s, int l)
}
{
side = s;
length = l;
Type of the value the method returns. It can be }
void, int, float, double }
 EXAMPLE FOR CREATING CLASSES

 Design a class Account that stores customer

name, account number, and type of account.
Include necessary methods to achieve
following tasks:-
 Deposit money.
 Display balance.
 Permit withdrawal and update balance.
 An object in JAVA is essentially a block of memory that contains
space to store all the instance variables.
 Creating an object also refers to INSTANTIATING AN OBJECT.
 Objects in JAVA are created using new. The new operator dynamically
allocates memory for an object an returns a reference to it.
Indicates that it does not point class area
null Allocates at run-time
to any object {
area a1; a1
SYNTAX:- int side;
classname objectname;
a1 = new area(); int length;
objectname = new classname();
void get(int s, int l)
combined {
a1 side = s;
area a1 = new area();
length = l;
}
 class
Values are to be area to variables in order to use them in
assigned
{
our programs. int side;
int length;
 Since we are outside the class,
void get(int wel) cannot access the instance
s, int
{
variables and methods directly.
side = s;
 length
Object and dot operator are=used
l; to do this.
} area a1 = new area();
 SYNTAX:-
objectname.variablename = value; .
a1 side = 10;

.
objectname.methodname(parameter-list); a1 get (10, 15);
a1.tri();
a1.square();
}
  Constructors

 Method Overloading
 Constructor Overloading
 Nesting of methods
 JAVA allows objects to initialize themselves when they are
created CONSTRUCTOR

PROPERTIES:-
• Initializes an object immediately upon creation.
• Same name as the class in which it resides and syntactically similar
to a method.
• Is called automatically after the object is created.
• Does not have return type.

EXAMPLE
NO RETURN TYPE

OUTPUT
 Methods have same name, but different parameter list .
 Is used when objects are required to perform similar tasks but
using different input parameters.
 Also known as POLYMORPHISM.
 Here, the aim is to provide several method definitions all with
same name, but different parameter lists.
 The difference may either in number or type of arguments
Method’s return type does not play any role in this
 In addition to overloading methods, you can also
overload constructor method

EXAMPLE
 A method of a class can be called only by an
object of that class using dot operator.

A method can be called by using only its name by

another method of the same class
NESTING OF
METHODS
 STATIC MEMBERS

 Is used to define a member that is common to all objects and accessed

without using a particular object.

 Thus member belongs to the class as a whole rather than the objects

created from the class.

 Used when we want to have a variable common to all instances of a

class.

SYNTAX:-
static int count; STATIC MEMBERS
Referred to as
static int max(int x, int y)
Class variables and Class methods
EXAMPLE
 RESTRICTIONS FACED BY STATIC
METHODS:-

STATIC
METHODS ARE
CALLED USING
CLASS NAME

 They can only call other static methods.

 They can only access static data.

 They cannot refer to this or super in any way.

 USING OBJECTS as PARAMETERS

 We know how to pass simple types as parameters to

methods.
 It is possible, correct and common to pass OBJECTS
to methods.

EXAMPLE
 CALL by VALUE vs. CALL by REFERENCE

CALL BY VALUE CALL BY REFERANCE

This method copies the value In this method, reference to

of an argument into the an argument is passed to the
formal parameter of the parameter.
subroutine
Does not access actual This reference is used to
argument access the actual argument.
Thus, changes made to Thus, changes made to
parameter of the subroutine parameter will have an effect
have no effect on the on the argument.
argument.
 EXAMPLE

REMEMBER
CALL by VALUE:- Simple
type arguments are passed
to methods.

CALL by REFERENCE:-
Objects are passed to
methods
 RECURSION

 JAVA supports recursion.

 Recursion is the process of defining something in

terms of itself.

 A method that calls itself is said to be recursive.

 VISIBILITY CONTROL

 Visibility modifiers areused to restrict the access to

certain variables and methods from outside the class.
 Also known as ACCESS MODIFIERS.

Visibility
Labels

PUBLIC PROTECTED
PRIVATE
 VISIBILITY CONTROL (Contd..)

PUBLIC Visible to entire class in which it is defined and

All the class Outside

PRIVATE Enjoys highest degree of protection.

Accessible only with their own class.
Cannot be inherited, thus not accessible in sub-class.

Friendly When no access modifier is specified then the default

version of public accessibility is known as
“FRIENDLY”

PUBLIC
PROTECTED ItsFriendly
level lies between PUBLIC ACCESS & FRIENDLY
ACCESS.
Makes fields visible in all Makes
Makesthefields
fieldsvisible
visibleonly
not only
in to all classes and
classes, regardless of their subclasses
the samein same package but also to subclasses in
package.
packages other packages