Java Reference
In-Depth Information
Q
I think this application will work better if I add another method to the interface. Can I
do this?
A
You can; however, we advise against it for the Sun assignment. Adding new interface
methods will break the contract between the data formats and user interface. Addi-
tionally, if you do this on the actual assignment you may end up failing. A better
approach is to add methods to the implemented classes. We encourage you to add
class methods (that is, not interface methods provided by Sun) or to modify imple-
mentations as a way to better understand the project and source code.
Q
How similar is this chapter's example to the one Sun will provide?
A
There is no guarantee what future exams will look like from Sun, but this sample
demonstrates the concepts required to achieve the Java developer certification, and
it also introduces new features in J2SE.
Q
How should I use the provided code samples?
A
The completed version of the Denny's DVDs system is available for download. Each
chapter will describe the evolution of the project from the required
DBClient
interface
developed in this chapter to the remainder of the application. As you read the topic,
refer to the relevant section of the code base in order to understand the full implemen-
tations. Chapter 9 explains in detail how to compile and execute the entire Denny's
DVDs system in a manner similar to the way your actual Sun submission will need to
be executed.
An alternative approach is to study the sample project source code first and then read
the topic to provide an explanation for the design choices made and how those choices
relate to similar decisions you will encounter while developing the actual Sun certifica-
tion project. We recommend reading the topic first and then referring to the code, but
the alternative approach of reading the code and referring to the topic should also pro-
duce successful results. It really depends on which approach makes more sense for you
and your natural learning methods.
Q
Can I add features not discussed in this topic?
A
Of course you are free to modify the project and make it more sophisticated. In fact,
inquisitiveness and a sense of experimentation are very important qualities for a soft-
ware engineer. However, the project has been carefully designed with two goals in
mind. The first and more important goal is to cover all of the concepts required for the
SCJD exam. So if you do decide to ad-lib, keep in mind the purpose of the sample proj-
ect. The second goal is to introduce the new features of J2SE 5, such as autoboxing and
generics.
