Java Reference
In-Depth Information
public class ErrorMsg {
public String msgText;
public int msgSize;
(1) public void setErrorMsg (String inputMsg) {
...
// Some logic
...
// The method is complete. Return to the caller.
return;
}
(2) public String getErrorMsg () {
...
// Some logic
...
// The method is complete.
// Return a String variable as the result (or return argument) of this
// method.
return (returnMsg);
}
(3) public String getErrorMsg (int msgCode) {
...
// Some logic
...
return (returnMsg);
}
}
The new message definition statements (2 and 3) could be read this way: “De-
fine a
public
method for class
ErrorMsg
. This method returns a
String
data item, and
the method's name is
getErrorMsg
. One form of this method accepts no parameters
(statement 2), and another form accepts one parameter of type
int
(statement 3).”
The method
getErrorMsg
defines other functions that
ErrorMsg
can support. As
such, these are additional components of the
interface
to
ErrorMsg
. These methods
can access any of
ErrorMsg
's data items or methods (both public and private ones).
Since the methods are themselves public, any class can call these methods.
Notice that the methods named
getErrorMsg
have different signatures (inter-
face definitions) than the
setErrorMsg
method. They do not have a
String
input pa-
rameter, but they do return a
String
variable.