// Create a subclass by extending class A.
class B extends A {
int i; // this i hides the i in A
B(int a, int b) {
super.i = a; // i in A
i = b; // i in B
}
void show() {
System.out.println("i in superclass: " + super.i);
System.out.println("i in subclass: " + i);
}
}
class UseSuper {
public static void main(String args[]) {
B subOb = new B(1, 2);
subOb.show();
}
}
This program displays the following:
i in superclass: 1
i in subclass: 2
Although the instance variable i in B hides the i in A, super allows access to the i defined
in the superclass. As you will see, super can also be used to call methods that are hidden by a
subclass.
Creating a Multilevel Hierarchy
Up to this point, we have been using simple class hierarchies that consist of only a superclass
and a subclass. However, you can build hierarchies that contain as many layers of inheritance
as you like. As mentioned, it is perfectly acceptable to use a subclass as a superclass of another.
For example, given three classes called A, B, and C, C can be a subclass of B, which is a
subclass of A. When this type of situation occurs, each subclass inherits all of the traits
found in all of its superclasses. In this case, C inherits all aspects of B and A. To see how
a multilevel hierarchy can be useful, consider the following program. In it, the subclass
BoxWeight is used as a superclass to create the subclass called Shipment. Shipment inherits
all of the traits of BoxWeight and Box, and adds a field called cost, which holds the cost of
shipping such a parcel.
// Extend BoxWeight to include shipping costs.
// Start with Box.
class Box {
private double width;
private double height;
private double depth;
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