Java: Somehow I managed to extend a final method

Question

The Vector3 class contains this:

public final boolean set(float x, float y, float z) {
    setX(x);
    setY(y);
    setZ(z);
    return true;
}

The Vector4 class contains this:

public boolean set(float x, float y, float z, float w) {
    setX(x);
    setY(y);
    setZ(z);
    setW(w);
    return true;
}

No errors. Why?

You don't "extend" methods. You override them. (And in this case you overloaded the method instead of overriding it.) — Stephen C, Feb 21 '15 at 00:05

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 20 '15 at 22:18

4

You didn't override set in Vector4. You overloaded it. Vector4's set method has 4 parameters but Vector3's set method has 3 parameters. There is no error because no method is attempting to override the final set method in Vector3.

answered Feb 20 '15 at 22:18

rgettman

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 20 '15 at 22:19

You did not extend the method, but instead you have created a new overloaded method with a different signature. Although they may have the same name, the fact that their parameter lists are different makes them distinct methods.

Had you attempted to override Vector3.set(float, float, float) with:

public boolean set(float x, float y, float z)

in Vector4, there would have been an error at compilation.

Java: Somehow I managed to extend a final method

2 Answers2