OO Programming &

Objects
Programming 1

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Contents
1. Introduction
• Objects, messages, classes
2. Working with objects
• Creating, using and deleting objects
3. Simple objects
• Classes String and StringBuilder
4. Formatting
• Methods printf and format

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Introduction to
objects
Objects 1.5

Object = foundation of
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

•An object in our daily lives

– … has properties that make up an object’s state
– … displays a certain behavior
•An object in software
– properties → attributes / fields / class properties
– behavior → methods
•Correlates with an entity
– During database design and generic analysis and
design

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Objects
•Example: An individual ship
– Properties (attributes)
▪ Type: passenger ship, oil tanker, …
▪ Capacity: max cargo tons or max amount of
passengers
▪ Amount of crew currently on board
▪ Length, width, draft
– Behavior
▪ dock, blast horn, lower anchor, turn, …
▪ board passengers, load cargo
•Other examples?

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Which data type to use for ...

•Age? → int

•Percentage? → double

•Name? → String

•Ship?
•Product?
•Person?
•Car?
?
•Trip? Island? Captain?

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Classes & Objects
•A class is a blueprint that describes the properties
and the methods of all objects of a certain type
•An object is a unique instance of a class

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Objects
•Come up with some example of classes and
possible objects of those classes

•Class President
•Objects of class President
barackObama abrahamLincoln

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Objects

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Quiz
•Which of the following are classes and which are
objects?
If it's a class, give examples of possible objects.
If it's an object, what would be a good class name?

● car with license plate "1 ABC 001"

● course
● Lewis Hamilton
● word
● Nationalestraat nr. 5
● bonobo

• Try to come up with some more examples

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Classes & Objects
•A class determines the type of an object
•A class defines the properties and methods
•An object is an instance of a class
Class definition Object (instance of a class)

class Car Car herbie = new Car();

Properties (attributes):
color herbie.start();
speed herbie.accelerate(10);
direction herbie.turn(90);
Methods: herbie.break();
start()
break()
accelerate (int speed)
turn(angle)

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Method call (message)

Interaction with a car:

Following statement changes the direction of a car:
direction = herbie.turn(angle);

object
method
variable stores
parameter(s)
res t

Interaction with a keyboard:

number = keyboard.nextInt();

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Working with
objects
Creating objects 3.2.2

How do you create an object?

● A class is needed
○ Write one (see next week)

Or
○ Use one. Some classes in the Java libraries:
■ Scanner
■ String
■ Random
■ StringBuilder
■ …

● Creating an object
○ Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
○ Random rand = new Random(10);
○ StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
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Creating objects
How do you create an object?

• new operator + class name + ()

○ allocates memory to store the object
○ returns a reference to the object that was created

Random rand = new Random(10);

StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();

How do you initialise an object?

• through optional parameters listed in between the
parentheses that follow the name of the class
Parentheses (AK ro n
– Random rand = new Random(10);
brackets) are ma at
– StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
even if no parameters are
present

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Creating objects

How is an object initialised?

• new operator + class name + (): calls a constructor (which

is a special kind of method)
• Constructors always have the same name as their class
• Each constructor call results in a new object

• Some examples:
Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in); A single parameter
Random getal = new Random();
Rectangle box = new Rectangle(10,6); No parameters

2 parameters
Capi letter!

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Random
Generating random numbers
Using classes & objects: Random 6,9

In §6.9 Sec re andom is used instea of Ran om,

How can we generate but a l information in §6.9 is still relevant!
a random number?
Use the class Random.

There are two constructors:

•Random()→ generates different numbers for each instance

•Random(long seed)→ generates the same sequence of

numbers for each specific seed given

Creating multiple instances of Random

with the same seed will generate the same
number series In act, Random generates a seq ence of
pse o-ran om n mbers base on a mathematical
form la
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Using classes & objects: Random

Some useful methods

• nextInt(int n) generates a random whole number

between 0 (inclusive) and n (exclusive) 0 <= result < n

• nextDouble() generates a random number between 0

(inclusive) and 1 (exclusive) 0 <= result < 1

• nextBoolean() generates a random boolean value

true or false

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Using classes & objects: Random

How can we use an object?

• It’s only possible to access public properties and methods

• To use an object, write its name followed by a dot followed

by the name of the public method or property that you’d like
to call or access
Note: Random is the name of the class
and random is the name of the object
Random random = new Random();
int number = random.nextInt(); objectname.methodname()

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Using objects: some questions

Given this declaration and initialisation ...

Random generator = new Random();

… how would you simulate rolling a single die?

int die = generator.nextInt(6) + 1;

… how would you simulate a coin toss?

(at least 2 possibilities)
boolean coinA = generator.nextBoolean();
int coinB = generator.nextInt(2);

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Using objects: some questions

Given this declaration and initialisation ...

Random generator = new Random();

… which range of numbers is generated from

the following piece of code?
int number = generator.nextInt(50) + 50;

… how can you generate a three-digit number?

int number = generator.nextInt(900) + 100;

Ex04.01: Lottery
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Exercises
•Ex04.01: Lottery

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Referencing
an object
Reference

What is the result of declaration and initialisation?

• A reference to the newly created object is assigned to the variable:
type name = initialValue

Random generator = new Random();

• Putting initialisation on a separate line (same effect):

Random generator; dec aration

Creation of the object
generator = new Random(); Assignment (of the re erence)
Stack memory Heap memory

generator Random
object

The variable has a reference to…

… the object that was create
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Reference

Can there be more than one reference to an object?

Random randomOne;
Random randomTwo;
randomOne = new Random(42);
randomTwo = randomOne;

Stack Heap
Wo ld it be possib e for a
randomOne re erence to not refer to
Random any object at al ?
object
randomTwo

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Heads up!
Will not compile.
java: variable generator might not have been
initialized

Random generator;
int random = generator.nextInt();

generator

Random generator = new Random();

OK
int random = generator.nextInt();

Random
generator
object

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Reference
int i;
Assignment (of primitive types): content of i is copied to j
int j;
→ i and j have the same content: 7
i = 7;
j = i; // j is now also 7
i++; // i is 8, j is still 7
System.out.println(j); // 7

Player player1;
Player player2;
player1 = new Player("hunter25", 3); // 3 lives
player2 = player1; // player2 also refers to "hunter25"
player1.extraLife();
System.out.println(player2.getLives()); // 4!
Assignment (of reference types): content of player1 (reference to the object) is copied to player2
→ player1 and player2 now refer to the same object

As a consequence, any change on the object via player1 can be observed via player2 and vice versa
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package and
import
What is a package? 2.5.1 & 3.2.5

• Each class belongs to a package

– class Random belongs to package java.util
– the fully qualified name of this class is
java.util.Random

• If
we want to refer to a class by its name only,
an import statement is needed
Replacing Random with *
import java.util.Random; imports all classes from java.util

Random generator = new Random();

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Package and import

How does the compiler find the correct class?

•Using import:
import java.util.Random;
// …
When sing import, just
Random generator = new Random();
the name o the c ass ill
suffice

•Without using import:

java.util.Random generator = new java.util.Random();

Witho t import yo ’ll have

to se the ly alified name

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Package and import

How does the compiler find the correct class?

1. Any explicitly imported classes (package + class’ name)

2. Classes that are in your current package
3. Classes from imported packages (import using “*”)

• Some classes are imported automatically:

– the default package (= classes without a package)
– the current package (= classes in the same package)
– package java.lang (= contains Java’s base classes)

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Package naming convention

● reverse.domain.of.company.project.internal
○ guarantees world wide uniqueness
○ all lower case
● example
be.kdg.programming1.m4.myutilities

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Garbage Collection
Freeing memory / opposite of new
Garbage collection 8,10

How can memory that was allocated for objects

ever be returned to the system again?

• Garbage collection takes care of freeing memory to which

no variable is referring anymore
– A reference disappears ...
▪ … when the reference variable no longer exists (out of scope)
▪ … when value null is assigned to a reference variable

• Garbage collection happens automatically, but never

immediately (on a separate thread with a low priority)

Random
generator
object

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Exercises
•Ex04.02: Random

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Strings
String 14.1

•The String type is actually a class and as a result

each String in your program is an object
– String is in package java.lang
So, no import is needed!
•Once created, a String object can never be updated.
Each change will lead to the creation of a new String
object.
A String object is immutable!

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Creating a String 14.3.1

String theString = "Hello World";

Each String literal
System.out.println(theString); (te t bet een " quotes")
Both represent is an object; no nee to
the same object! write new

System.out.println("Hello World");

String otherString = new String("Hello World");

In this e ample e’re creating a

String object e plicitly… this is
bad practice!

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Reading a String

Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);

wordString wil contain
each character from the inp t
String wordString = keyboard.next(); buffer p to a space or a newline

String sentenceString = keyboard.nextLine();

sentenceString wil contain each

character from the input b ffer up to a
new ine

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String methods 14.3

String

Some common methods:

length():Returns the length of the String (= the amount of characters)
charAt(int index): Returns the character at position index (first
character is at position 0)
equals(String string): Compares two Strings, returns true or
false
equalsIgnoreCase(String string): Compares without taking
casing into account
compareTo(String other): Compares two Strings alphabetically,
returns a negative value when this string comes before (<) other , zero when
both strings are equal (=) and a positive value when this string comes after
(>) other
isEmpty(): Checks if a String has a length of zero, returns true or false
Other popular methods: substring, strip, toUpperCase,
toLowerCase, …

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String methods examples
Never compare strings using the ==
String male = "John";
operator! (see later)
String female = "Mary";

int amount = male.length(); 4

char ch = female.charAt(3); y
boolean notEqual = male.equals(female); false
boolean equal = male.equals("John"); true
boolean alsoEqual = male.equalsIgnoreCase("john"); true

int negative = male.compareTo(female); -3

int zero = male.compareTo("John"); 0
int positive = female.compareTo(male); 3
boolean notTrue = male.isEmpty(); false

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String methods

A String literal such as "Hello" is also a String object on

which you can call these methods:
char ch = "François Englert won a Nobel Price".charAt(0);

String variables and literals can be concatenated using

the + operator

String greeting = "Hello";

String message = greeting + " Duke!";

Hello Duke!

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Quiz: what is the output?

String me = "me";
int number = 2 + 3;
String result = me + " a ";
result += number + "!";
System.out.println("Give " + result);
System.out.println(3 + 7 + " hello world " + 3 + 7);

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Quiz: Strings are immutable
•What is the output of the following code?

String s1 = "abc";
s1.concat("def");
System.out.println(s1);
String s2 = s1.concat("def");
System.out.println(s2);

Better se StringBuilder (see later)

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Memory allocation for Strings

String one = "abc";

String two = "abc";
String three = new String("abc");

Stack Heap

ha t!?
one
a i t,w
"abc" W
two

three "abc"

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Comparing Strings

String one = "abc";

String two = "abc";
String three = new String("abc");

System.out.println(one == two); true

System.out.println(one == three); false
System.out.println(two == three); false

System.out.println(one.equals(two)); true
System.out.println(one.equals(three)); true
System.out.println(two.equals(three)); true

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Strings

• Conclusions and summary

– Strings can’t be modified
– String literals are allocated in memory only
once
– NEVER compare strings using ==
– Instead, compare using equals()

Common Programming Error 14.1 (page 623)

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Exercises
•Ex 04.03-04.05

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The StringBuilder class 14.4

•is an alternative to the String class:

– Its contents can be modified. You can append,
insert and remove text without new objects
being created all the time
– This makes it more performant and reduces
memory usage when a string is changed often

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Creating String vs StringBuilder 14.4.1

•Two ways to create a String:

1. String literalString = "stringliteral";
2. String objectString =
new String("stringliteral");

Exp icit y declare as a

new object

•A StringBuilder object can only be created by

using one of its constructors
1. StringBuilder emptyBuilder = new StringBuilder();
2. StringBuilder builder =
new StringBuilder("stringliteral");

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Methods of StringBuilder 14.4

•StringBuilder

•Some common methods

append(…): Appends the argument to the end of the StringBuilder
toString(): Returns the value of the StringBuilder as a String
object
length(): Returns the length of the StringBuilder
charAt(int index): Returns the char at position index (first one at
0)
reverse(): Reverses the content of the StringBuilder
•More methods: insert, setCharAt, deleteCharAt, replace,
subString, indexOf,…

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Methods of StringBuilder: examples

StringBuilder spoon = new StringBuilder("spoon");

StringBuilder fork = new StringBuilder();
fork.append('f');
Builder pa er : append returns
fork.append('o'); the modified String ilder

fork.append('r').append('k');
System.out.println(spoon + " and " + fork);
spoon and fork

StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder("builder");

builder.reverse();
System.out.println(builder); redliub

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Exercises
•Ex 04.06-04.10

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Formatting
Formatting data 2.4

• For displaying on the screen

System.out.printf("formatstring", variable, ...);
System.out.format("formatstring", variable, ...);

System.out.printf("%d apples are €%.2f.\n", 4, 14.0/4);

// Output: 4 apples are €3,50.

Yo can use both printf or format, both methods are identical (except or their name)

• When you need the result in a String object:

String.format("formatstring", variable, ...);
String str = String.format("%d apples are €%.2f.", 4, 14.0/4);
System.out.println(str);
// Output: 4 apples are €3,50.

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Formatting data

Format specifiers (by default aligned to the right):

• %d for int and long (integer number)
• %f for float and double (decimal number)
• %s for String
• %c for char
• %b for boolean
• %n for a newline (more platform independent than \n)

Extra indicators between % and the type (t, f, s, ...)

• n specify the minimum number of positions (i.e. %20s)
• - (minus) indicates align to the left (i.e. %-20s)
• n.d when used with %f indicates the (total) minimum
amount of positions and the amount of decimals (e.g.
%6.2f), always automatically rounds to nearest
• , when used with numbers indicates a thousands separator
(e.g. %,d)
Formatter (complex)
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Formatting data

Requirement: For every format specifier, there has

to be a parameter present of the corresponding
type.

System.out.printf("The %dth letter is %c\n", 5, 'e');

The 5th letter is e

double sum = 164.525;

String s = String.format("€%.2f %d%% VAT incl.", sum, 21);
System.out.println(s);

€164,53 21% VAT incl. % character adde as %%

a tomatic rounding

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Quiz: what is the output?

System.out.printf("%b %c %d %f %s%n"
, true, 'X', 1, 3.14, "abc");

true X 1 3,140000 abc

double value = 1.35798642;

System.out.printf("%10.8f%n", value); 1,35798642
System.out.printf("%10.6f%n", value); 1,357986
System.out.printf("%10.4f%n", value); 1,3580
System.out.printf("%10.2f%n", value); 1,36
System.out.printf("%.1f%n", value); 1,4

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Quiz: what is the output?

System.out.format("%4d%n", 1); 1
System.out.format("%4d%n", 12); 12
System.out.format("%4d%n", 123); 123
System.out.format("%4d%n", 1234); 1234
System.out.format("%4d%n", 12345); 12345
System.out.format("%4d%n", 123456); 123456

System.out.format("%-10s%n", "Paris"); Paris

System.out.format("%-10s%n", "Madrid"); Madrid
System.out.format("%-10s%n", "London"); London
System.out.format("%-10s%n", "Berlin"); Berlin

String city = "Antwerp";

System.out.printf("%-11s!%n", city); Antwerp !

How many spaces?

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Exercises
•Ex04.11: Random seed

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Review
1. Introduction
• Objects, messages, classes
2. Working with objects
• Creating, using and deleting objects
3. Simple objects
• Classes String and StringBuilder
4. Formatting
• Methods printf and format

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