JeramieH wrote:
This question is virtually identical to enthuware.ocajp.i.v7.2.876, except the correct answer over there takes a totally different track.
Yes, we wanted to show the multiple ways in which you can be asked these kinds of questions in the exam. I agree that the solutions are a bit subjective (and need based) but still, keeping complexities aside, you can apply basic OO rules to arrive at an answer. Even if you don't agree with the answer, but they make you think about the issues involved and that is the goal of this question.
HTH,
Paul.
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My problem here is that I keep thinking that to successfully refactor Square, any current users should not be affected. Which means, I cannot make a public field private, because it will break any current users that are already using the class, such as TestClass which is directly using the area field (sq.area).
The 'right' answer says: "Add a calculateArea method:
private void calculateArea(){
this.area = this.side*this.side;
}
"
But shouldn't it be PUBLIC instead of PRIVATE?!! In other words: isn't this an error in the answer?!
No, why should it be public? This functionality is used only internally within the class. The existing class does not expose this functionality outside either.
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It should be public because it says so everywhere: 1. Declare the variables of a class as private. 2. Provide public setter and getter methods to modify and view the variables values.
That's what I have been learning all the way, so please help me understand why here they use a private a.m. I mean, you could of course, but then don't ask about 'terms of encapsulation', because it's contradictory.