Name: ssT124754 Date: 03/02/2001


java version "1.3.0"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.0-C)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.0-C, mixed mode)

Hi,

I was wondering why there isn't a sort of "hybrid" type of variables in Java.
Something that would be private for writing, but public for reading. It would
really make programming easier, and give a whole new dimension to OO
programming style.

For every private variable I have got, I must create a public method to write and read the variable, eg:

public class Lives
{
    private int lives;

    public void setLives(int i)
    {
        lives=i;
    }

    public int getLives()
    {
        return lives;
    }
}

and somewhere else:

Lives l=new Lives();
display=l.getLives();

**************

Now just imagine there was a type called hybrid. It would allow me to ensure that I don't mistakenly write to the lives variables (and I can easily search for the method setLives in all my files if I need to trace a bug), but I wouldn't need the getLives method to get the value of lives...

It would be something like this:

public class Lives
{
    hybrid int lives;

    public void setLives(int i)
    {
        lives=i;
    }
}

and somewhere else:

Lives l=new Lives();
display=l.lives;

Do you get my point ?

Alok Menghrajani
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(Review ID: 117928)
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