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A Brief Introduction to Classes

Following is the code for a class called SimplePoint that represents a point in 2D space:

public class SimplePoint {
    public int x = 0;
    public int y = 0;
}

This segment of code declares a class-- a new data type really-- called SimplePoint. The SimplePoint class contains two integer member variables, x and y. The public keyword preceding the declaration for x and y means that any other class can freely access these two members.

You create an object from a class such as SimplePoint by instantiating the class. When you create a new SimplePoint object (we show you how shortly), space is allocated for the object and its members x and y. In addition, the x and y members inside the object are initialized to 0 because of the assignment statements in the declarations of these two members.

Now, here's a class, SimpleRectangle, that represents a rectangle in 2D space:

public class SimpleRectangle {
    public int width = 0;
    public int height = 0;
    public SimplePoint origin = new SimplePoint();
}

This segment of code declares a class (another data type)--SimpleRectangle-- that contains two integer members, width and height. SimpleRectangle also contains a third member, origin, whose data type is SimplePoint. Notice that the class name SimplePoint is used in a variable declaration as the variable's type. You can use the name of a class anywhere you can use the name of a primitive type.

Just as width "is an" integer and height "is an" integer, origin "is a" SimplePoint. On the other hand, a SimpleRectangle object "has a" SimplePoint. The distinction between "is a" and "has a" is critical because only an object that "is a" SimplePoint can be used where a SimplePoint is called for.

As with SimplePoint, when you create a new SimpleRectangle object, space is allocated for the object and its members, and the members are initialized according to their declarations. Interestingly, the initialization for the origin member creates a SimplePoint object with this code: new SimplePoint() as illustrated here:

This figure has been reduced to fit on the page.
Click the image to view it at its natural size.

This diagram shows the difference between primitive types and reference types. Both width and height are integers and are fully contained within SimpleRectangle. On the other hand, origin simply references a SimplePoint object somewhere else.

The SimplePoint and SimpleRectangle classes as shown are simplistic implementations for these classes. Both should provide a mechanism for initializing their members to values other than 0. Additionally, SimpleRectangle could provide a method for computing its area. So, here's a new version of SimplePoint, called Point, that contains a constructor which you can use to initialize a new Point to a value other than (0,0):

public class Point {
    public int x = 0;
    public int y = 0;
	// a constructor!
    public Point(int x, int y) {
	this.x = x;
	this.y = y;
    }
}

Now, when you create a Point, you can provide initial values for it like this:

new Point(44, 78)

The values 44 and 78 are passed into the constructor and subsequently assigned to the x and y members of the new Point object as shown here:

Now, let's beef up the SimpleRectangle class. Here's a new version of SimpleRectangle, called Rectangle, that contains four constructors, a method to "move" the rectangle, and a method to compute the area of the rectangle:

public class Rectangle {
    public int width = 0;
    public int height = 0;
    public Point origin;

    // four constructors
    public Rectangle() {
	origin = new Point(0, 0);
    }
    public Rectangle(Point p) {
	origin = p;
    }
    public Rectangle(int w, int h) {
	this(new Point(0, 0), w, h);
    }
    public Rectangle(Point p, int w, int h) {
	origin = p;
	width = w;
	height = h;
    }

    // a method for moving the rectangle
    public void move(int x, int y) {
	origin.x = x;
	origin.y = y;
    }

    // a method for computing the area of the rectangle
    public int area() {
	return width * height;
    }
}

The four constructors allow for different types of initialization. You can create a new Rectangle and let it provide default values for everything, or you can specify initial values for the origin, the width and the height, or for all three when you create the object. You'll see more of this version of the Rectangle class in the next section.

This section glossed over some details and left some things unexplained, but it provides the basis you need to understand the rest of this lesson. After reading this section, you should know that

• objects are created from classes
• an object's class is its type
• how "is a" differs from "has a"
• the difference between reference and primitive types.

You also should have a general understanding or a feeling for the following:

• How to create an object from a class
• What constructors are
• What the code for a class looks like
• What member variables are
• How to initialize objects
• What methods look like

Now, let's look in detail at the life cycle of an object, specifically how to create and use an object, and how the object finally gets cleaned up.

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