View source for Chapter:Objects - Relation to classes - Exercises

Only one small exercise for this topic. But you did watch the video, didn't you?

=Don't shoot the messenger=
Create a new directory and change directory to the new one:
<pre>
mkdir messenger
cd messenger
</pre>
Create the following class in a file called <code>Message.java</code>
<source lang="Java">
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;

public class Message {
  private String body;
  private String to;
  private String subject;

  public Message(String to, String subject, String body) {
    this.to = to;
    this.subject = subject;
    this.body = body;
  }

  private String formatContent() {
    return new StringBuilder("<html>")
      .append("<strong>To: </strong>")
      .append(to)
      .append("<br><strong>Subject: </strong>")
      .append(subject)
      .append("<br><br>")
      .append("<p>")
      .append(body)
      .append("</p></html>")
      .toString();
  }
  
  public void send() {
    JOptionPane
      .showMessageDialog(null,
                         formatContent());
  }

  public void cancel() {
    JOptionPane
      .showMessageDialog(null,
                         "Your message was cancelled.",
                         "Message cancelled",
                         JOptionPane.WARNING_MESSAGE);
  }
}
</source>

Create the following class in a file called <code>Messenger.java</code>:
<source lang="Java">
public class Messenger {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String to = System.getProperty("user.name");
    Message messageToMyself =
      new Message(to,
                  "Hello, " + to,
                  "Here's a small message");
    messageToMyself.send();
  }
}
</source>
Messenger is the program. It creates an object using the class Message. It sends the message <code>send()</code> to the object.

Compile <code>Messenger.java</code> (Message.java will also be compiled automatically):
<pre>
javac Messenger.java
</pre>

Run the Messenger program:
<pre>
java Messenger
</pre>

What happened? Can you follow the call <code>messageToMyself.send();</code> from the program? Look in Message.java.

You don't need to understand the code! We just wanted you to see for yourself what the relationship between an object and its class definition is.

Now, change the line in <code>Messenger.java</code> from <code>messageToMyself.send();</code> to <code>messageToMyself.cancel();</code>. Re-compile <code>Messenger.java</code> the same way as you compiled it before, and run the program again. What happened?

Can you find the code which produced the result? Again, you don't need to understand this. We just wanted to get you curious about code and its relation to the two files.

Study the indentation of the class Messenger. Note where curly braces are put, and what lines are aligned horizontally (start at the same column).

How many blocks does the Messenger class contain?

The very last right curly brace (<code>}</code>) closes the outer block. Where is its corresponding left curly brace?

Move on to the next chapter for more!

=Links=
==Source code for the exercise==
* https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rikardfroberg/java-objects-relation-to-classes/master/Message.java
* https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rikardfroberg/java-objects-relation-to-classes/master/Messenger.java
==Further reading==
* [http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/concepts/index.html Oracle Java Tutorial - Lesson: Object-Oriented Programming Concepts]

==Where to go next==
Next chapter is: [[Chapter:Objects_-_Creating|Objects_-_Creating]]

[[Chapter:Objects_-_Relation_to_classes|« Previous]] • [[Programming_with_Java#Chapters|Book TOC]] • [[Chapter:Objects_-_Creating|Next »]]
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