[836] in java-interest
basic question on protected method
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (John Arthur December)
Sat Jul 22 18:14:21 1995
From: John Arthur December <decemj@rpi.edu>
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 1995 16:59:38 -0400
To: java-interest@java.sun.com
Given a class with a public, private, and protected method:
class Box{
Box() { }
private void getKey() { }
public void tryKey() { }
protected void setKey() { }
}
and a class with an application that creates a box
object:
class Game {
public static void main (String args[]) {
Box theBox = new Box();
theBox.tryKey(); // works OK
// this correctly won't compile (private): theBox.getKey();
theBox.setKey(); // why does this compile?
}
}
Why is that protected method theBox.setKey() available
from the class Game? I thought only subclasses
could access protected methods? (Game is not a subclass
of Box). Is there some error in the above (it compiles and runs)?
Or am I misunderstanding Java's protected methods?
-
Note to Sun employees: this is an EXTERNAL mailing list!
Info: send 'help' to java-interest-request@java.sun.com
