The Object-Oriented
Thought Process
Chapter 03
Advanced Object-Oriented Concepts
Constructors
Constructors are used to initialize objects.
– In Java and C#, constructors are methods
that share the same name as the class.
– Visual Basic .NET uses the designation
New.
– Objective-C uses the init keyword.
When a Constructor is Called
When a new object is created, one of the first
things that happens is that the constructor is
called.
– The constructor creates a new instance of the
class,
• thus allocating the required memory.
– Then the constructor itself is called, passing the
arguments in the parameter list.
• Providing the opportunity to attend to the
appropriate initialization.
What’s Inside a Constructor
Perhaps the most important function of a
constructor is to initialize the memory
allocated.
– In short, code included inside a constructor
should set the newly created object to its
initial, stable, safe state.
The Default Constructor
If the class provides no explicit constructor, a
default constructor will be provided.
– It is important to understand that at least
one constructor always exists, regardless
of whether you write a constructor yourself.
– If you do not provide a constructor, the
system will provide a default constructor for
you.
Using Multiple Constructors
In many cases, an object can be constructed in
more than one way.
– To accommodate this situation, you need to
provide more than one constructor.
– This is called overloading a method
(overloading pertains to all methods, not
just constructors).
• Most OO languages provide functionality
for overloading a method.
Overloading Methods
Overloading allows a programmer to use the
same method name over and over.
– As long as the signature of the method is
different each time.
– The signature consists of the method name
and a parameter list
The Superclass
When using inheritance, you must know how the
parent class is constructed.
– Inside the constructor, the constructor of
the class’s superclass is called.
– Each class attribute of the object is
initialized.
– The rest of the code in the constructor
executes.
Designing Constructors
It is good practice to initialize all the attributes.
– In some languages, the compiler provides
some sort of initialization.
– As always, don’t count on the compiler to
initialize attributes!
– Constructors are used to ensure that the
application is in a stable (or safe) state.
Error Handling
Assuming that your code has the capability to
detect and trap an error condition, you can
handle the error in several ways:
– Ignore the problem—not a good idea!
– Check for potential problems and abort the program when
you find a problem.
– Check for potential problems, catch the mistake, and attempt
to fix the problem.
– Throw an exception. (Often this is the preferred way to
handle the situation.)
The Concept of Scope
§ Multiple objects can be instantiated from a
single class.
– Each of these objects has a unique identity
and state.
– Each object is constructed separately and
is allocated its own separate memory.
Types of Scope
§ Methods represent the behaviors of an object;
the state of the object is represented by
attributes.
– Local attributes
– Object attributes
– Class attributes
Local Attributes
Local attributes are owned by a specific method
– Local variables are accessible only inside a
specific method.
– In Java, C#, C++ and Objective-C, scope is
delineated by curly braces ({ }).
public method() {
int count;
}
Object Attributes
In many design situations, an attribute must be
shared by several methods within the same
object.
public class Number {
int count; // available to both method1 and method2
public method1() {
count = 1;
}
public method2() {
count = 2;
}
}
Class Attributes
It is possible for two or more objects to share
attributes. In Java, C#, C++ and Objective-C,
you do this by making the attribute static:
public class Number {
static int count;
public method1() {
}
}
Operator Overloading
Some OO languages allow you to overload an
operator.
– C++ is an example of one such language.
Operator overloading allows you to change
the meaning of an operator.
– More recent OO languages like Java, .NET,
and Objective-C do not allow operator
overloading.
Multiple Inheritance
Multiple inheritance allows a class to inherit from
more than one class.
– Multiple inheritance can significantly
increase the complexity of a system,
– Java, .NET, and Objective-C do not support
multiple inheritance (C++ does).
– In some ways interfaces compensates for
this.
Object Operations
Comparing primitive data types is quite
straightforward.
– Copying and comparing objects is not quite
as simple.
– The problem with complex data structures
and objects is that they might contain
references.
• Simply making a copy of the reference does not copy the data
.
structures or the object that it references
