PREDEFINED

CLASSES &
OBJECTS

1-1
• We can create more interesting programs using predefined
classes and related objects
• In this lecture, we focus on:
– object creation and object references
– the String class and its methods
– the Java standard class library
– the Random and Math classes
– formatting output
– enumerated types
– wrapper classes
– graphical components and containers
– labels and images

3-2
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-3
 CREATING OBJECTS

• A variable holds either a primitive type or a reference to an

object

• A class name can be used as a type to declare an object

reference variable

String title;

• No object is created with this declaration

• An object reference variable holds the address of an object

• The object itself must be created separately

3-4
 CREATING OBJECTS
• Generally, we use the new operator to create an object

title = new String ("Java Software Solutions");

This calls the String constructor, which is

a special method that sets up the object

• Creating an object is called instantiation

• An object is an instance of a particular class

3-5
 INVOKING METHODS

• We've seen that once an object has been instantiated,

we can use the dot operator to invoke its methods

count = title.length()

• A method may return a value, which can be used in an

assignment or expression

• A method invocation can be thought of as asking an

object to perform a service

3-6
 REFERENCES

• Note that a primitive variable contains the value

itself, but an object variable contains the address of
the object
• An object reference can be thought of as a pointer
to the location of the object
• Rather than dealing with arbitrary addresses, we
often depict a reference graphically

num1 38

name1 "Steve Jobs" 3-7

 ASSIGNMENT REVISITED

• The act of assignment takes a copy of a value and stores it in

a variable
• For primitive types:

num1 38
Before:
num2 96

num2 = num1;

num1 38
After:
num2 38
3-8
 REFERENCE ASSIGNMENT
• For object references, assignment copies the address:

name1 "Steve Jobs"

Before:
name2 "Steve Wozniak"

name2 = name1;

name1 "Steve Jobs"

After:
name2

3-9
 ALIASES
• Two or more references that refer to the same object are called
aliases of each other
• That creates an interesting situation: one object can be accessed
using multiple reference variables
• Aliases can be useful, but should be managed carefully

• Changing an object through one reference changes it for all of its

aliases, because there is really only one object

3-10
 GARBAGE COLLECTION
• When an object no longer has any valid references to
it, it can no longer be accessed by the program

• The object is useless, and therefore is called garbage

• Java performs automatic garbage collection

periodically, returning an object's memory to the
system for future use

• In other languages, the programmer is responsible for

performing garbage collection

3-11
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-12
 THE STRING CLASS

• Because strings are so common, we don't have to use

the new operator to create a String object

title = "Java Software Solutions";

• This is special syntax that works only for strings

• Each string literal (enclosed in double quotes)

represents a String object

3-13
 STRING METHODS

• Once a String object has been created, neither its value nor
its length can be changed
• Thus we say that an object of the String class is immutable
• However, several methods of the String class return new
String objects that are modified versions of the original
– See String methods,
https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/13/docs/api/java.base/java/la
ng/String.html

3-14
 It is occasionally helpful to refer
to a particular character within a
string

This can be done by specifying

the character's numeric index
STRING
INDEXES
The indexes begin at zero in
each string

In the string "Hello", the

character 'H' is at index 0 and the
'o' is at index 4

3-15
 STRING CLASS METHODS
• To determine how many letters are stored in a String variable (name) use
name.length();
– Example:
– String mycourse = “TMF 2954”;
– int number = mycourse.length();
• charAt(index)
– index is an integer and specifies the character position in the String
– This method returns the character at the specified position
– Example:
• char letter;
• String myText = “This is my Text”;
• letter = myText.charAt(8);

16
STRING CLASS METHODS
myText.length returns 15
because there are 15 characters

T h i s i s m y T e x t
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

myText.charAt(8) returns m
because m is the letter at position 8

3-17
 STRING CLASS METHODS

abc AB
toLowerCase()
This method returns a new String that
C
toUpperCase()
Same as toLowerCase() but it converts
has all of the characters of the original all the characters to uppercase
String but in lowercase Example:
Example: String smallName = “I am Big!!”;
String bigName = “I am BIG!!”; String bigName =
String smallName = smallName.toUpperCase();
bigName.toLowerCase(); // now bigName holds “I AM BIG!!”
// now smallName holds “i am big!!”

3-18
 STRING CLASS METHODS
• String(String str):
– constructor creates a new string object with the same characters as str
• int compareTo(String str):
– returns an integer indicating if this string is lexically before(-ve),
equal(0), or after(+ve) the string str.
• boolean equals( String str):
– returns if this string containing the same characters as str (including
case)
• boolean equalsIgnoreCase( String str):
– returns if this string containing the same letters as str.

3-19
WHY USE EQUALS AND COMPARETO?

In most cases, you cannot use Reference variables contain the Unless the references point to
the relational operators to address of the object they the same object, the relational
compare two String objects. represent. operators will not return true.

3-20
 MORE STRING METHODS

• String concat(String str):

returns a new String consisting of this string + str.
• String replace(char oldchar, char
newchar):
returns a new string that has all occurrences of
oldchar replaced with newchar in this string.
• String substring(int offset, int
endIndex):
returns a new string that is a subset of this string
starting at offset and ending at endIndex-1.
3-21
 STRINGMUTATION.JAVA
public class StringMutation
{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
String phrase = "Change is inevitable";
String mutation1, mutation2, mutation3, mutation4;

System.out.println ("Original string: \"" + phrase + "\"");

System.out.println ("Length of string: " + phrase.length());

mutation1 = phrase.concat (", except from vending machines.");

mutation2 = mutation1.toUpperCase();
mutation3 = mutation2.replace ('E', 'X');
mutation4 = mutation3.substring (3, 30);
3-22
 STRINGMUTATION.JAVA

// Print each mutated string

Length of string: 20
MutationSystem.out.println ("Mutation
#1: Change is inevitable, #1:from
except " + mutation1);
vending machines.
MutationSystem.out.println
#2: CHANGE IS INEVITABLE,
("Mutation #2: EXCEPT FROM VENDING MACHINES.
" + mutation2);
Mutation #3: CHANGX IS INXVITABLX, XXCXPT FROM VXNDING MACHINXS.
System.out.println ("Mutation #3: " + mutation3);
Mutation #4: NGX IS INXVITABLX, XXCXPT F
MutatedSystem.out.println
length: 27 ("Mutation #4: " + mutation4);

System.out.println ("Mutated length: " + mutation4.length());

}
}

3-23
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-24
 CLASS LIBRARIES
• A class library is a collection of classes that we can use when
developing programs
• The Java standard class library is part of any Java development
environment
• Its classes are not part of the Java language per se, but we rely on
them heavily
• Various classes we've already used (System , Scanner,
String) are part of the Java standard class library
• Other class libraries can be obtained through third party vendors,
or you can create them yourself

3-25
 PACKAGES
• The classes of the Java standard class library are organized
into packages
• Some of the packages in the standard class library are:

Package Purpose
java.lang General support
java.applet Creating applets for the web
java.awt Graphics and graphical user interfaces
javax.swing Additional graphics capabilities
java.net Network communication
java.util Utilities
javax.xml.parsers XML document processing

3-26
THE IMPORT DECLARATION

• When you want to use a class from a package, you could use
its fully qualified name
java.util.Scanner
• Or you can import the class, and then use just the class name

import java.util.Scanner;
• To import all classes in a particular package, you can use the *
wildcard character
import java.util.*;

3-27
 THE IMPORT DECLARATION
• All classes of the java.lang package are imported automatically
into all programs
• It's as if all programs contain the following line:

import java.lang.*;
• That's why we didn't have to import the System or String
classes explicitly in earlier programs
• The Scanner class, on the other hand, is part of the java.util
package, and therefore must be imported

3-28
 THE RANDOM CLASS
• The Random class is part of the java.util package

• It provides methods that generate pseudorandom numbers

• A Random object performs complicated calculations based on

a seed value to produce a stream of seemingly random values

3-29
 THE RANDOM CLASS
• Random() :
constructor that creates a new pseudorandom number
generator.
• float nextFloat():
returns a random number between 0.0 inclusive and 1.0 exclusive.
• int nextInt():
returns a random number that ranges over all possible int values( positive
and negative)
• int nextInt(int num):
returns a random number in the range 0 to num-1

3-30
 RANDOMNUMBERS.JAVA
import java.util.Random;

public class RandomNumbers

{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
Random generator = new Random();
int num1;
float num2;

num1 = generator.nextInt();
System.out.println ("A random integer: " + num1);

num1 = generator.nextInt(10);
System.out.println ("From 0 to 9: " + num1);

num1 = generator.nextInt(10) + 1;
System.out.println ("From 1 to 10: " + num1);
3-31
 RANDOMNUMBERS.JAVA

num1 = generator.nextInt(15) + 20;

System.out.println ("From 20 to 34: " + num1);

num1 = generator.nextInt(20) - 10;

System.out.println ("From -10 to 9: " + num1);

num2 = generator.nextFloat();
System.out.println ("A random float (between 0-1): " + num2);

num2 = generator.nextFloat() * 6; // 0.0 to 5.999999

num1 = (int)num2 + 1;
System.out.println ("From 1 to 6: " + num1);
}
}
3-32
 THE MATH CLASS

• The Math class is part of the java.lang package

• The Math class contains methods that perform various
mathematical functions
• These include:
– absolute value
– square root
– exponentiation
– trigonometric functions

3-33
THE MATH CLASS

The methods of the Math class are static methods

(also called class methods)

Static methods can be invoked through the class

name – no object of the Math class is needed

value = Math.cos(90) + Math.sqrt(delta);

3-34
 MATH CLASS METHODS
int abs(int num) double ceil( double num)

double acos( double num)

double exp( double num)

double asin( double num)

double floor( double num)

double atan( double num)

double pow( double num, double
power)
double cos( double num)

double sqrt( double num)

double sin( double num)

double random()
double tan( double num) 3-35
 QUADRATIC.JAVA
import java.util.Scanner;

public class Quadratic

{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
int a, b, c; // ax^2 + bx + c
double discriminant, root1, root2;

Scanner scan = new Scanner (System.in);

System.out.print ("Enter the coefficient of x squared: ");

a = scan.nextInt();

System.out.print ("Enter the coefficient of x: ");

b = scan.nextInt();
3-36
 QUADRATIC.JAVA
System.out.print ("Enter the constant: ");
c = scan.nextInt();

discriminant = Math.pow(b, 2) - (4 * a * c);

root1 = ((-1 * b) + Math.sqrt(discriminant)) / (2 * a);
root2 = ((-1 * b) - Math.sqrt(discriminant)) / (2 * a);

System.out.println ("Root #1: " + root1);

System.out.println ("Root #2: " + root2);
}
}
3-37
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-38
 FORMATTING OUTPUT
• It is often necessary to format values in certain ways so that they
can be presented properly
• The Java standard class library contains classes that provide
formatting capabilities
• The NumberFormat class allows you to format values as
currency or percentages
• The DecimalFormat class allows you to format values based on
a pattern
• Both are part of the java.text package

3-39
 FORMATTING OUTPUT
• The NumberFormat class has static methods that return a
formatter object
getCurrencyInstance():
returns a NumberFormat object for a currency.
getPercentInstance():
returns a NumberFormat object for percentages.
• Each formatter object has a method called format that returns a
string with the specified information in the appropriate format

3-40
 PURCHASE.JAVA
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.text.NumberFormat;

public class Purchase

{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
final double TAX_RATE = 0.06; // 6% sales tax

int quantity;
double subtotal, tax, totalCost, unitPrice;

Scanner scan = new Scanner (System.in);

NumberFormat fmt1 = NumberFormat.getCurrencyInstance();
NumberFormat fmt2 = NumberFormat.getPercentInstance();

System.out.print ("Enter the quantity: ");

quantity = scan.nextInt(); 3-41
 PURCHASE.JAVA
System.out.print ("Enter the unit price: ");
unitPrice = scan.nextDouble();

subtotal = quantity * unitPrice;

tax = subtotal * TAX_RATE;
totalCost = subtotal + tax;

// Print output with appropriate formatting

System.out.println ("Subtotal: " + fmt1.format(subtotal));
System.out.println ("Tax: " + fmt1.format(tax) + " at "
+ fmt2.format(TAX_RATE));
System.out.println ("Total: " + fmt1.format(totalCost));
}
}
3-42
 FORMATTING OUTPUT

• The DecimalFormat class can be used to format a floating

point value in various ways

• For example, you can specify that the number should be

truncated to three decimal places

• The constructor of the DecimalFormat class takes a string

that represents a pattern for the formatted number

3-43
 FORMATTING OUTPUT
• To create a DecimalFormat object use:
DecimalFormat formatter = new DecimalFormat( pattern);
– pattern should be a string that contains the desired pattern
for example : “0.00” would display two digits after the
decimal point.
• You can modify the pattern using:
applyPattern(pattern)
• To format a number use the format method. For example:
System.out.println(formatter.format(15.026));

3-44
 CIRCLESTATS.JAVA
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.text.DecimalFormat;

public class CircleStats

{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
int radius;
double area, circumference;

Scanner scan = new Scanner (System.in);

System.out.print ("Enter the circle's radius: ");

radius = scan.nextInt();

3-45
 CIRCLESTATS.JAVA
area = Math.PI * Math.pow(radius, 2);
circumference = 2 * Math.PI * radius;

// Round the output to three decimal places

DecimalFormat fmt = new DecimalFormat ("0.###");

System.out.println ("The circle's area: " + fmt.format(area));

System.out.println ("The circle's circumference: "
+ fmt.format(circumference));
}
}

3-46
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-47
 ENUMERATED TYPES
• Java allows you to define an enumerated type, which can then be used
to declare variables
• An enumerated type establishes all possible values for a variable of
that type
• The values are identifiers of your own choosing

• The following declaration creates an enumerated type called Season

enum Season {winter, spring, summer, fall};

• Any number of values can be listed

3-48
 ENUMERATED TYPES

• Once a type is defined, a variable of that type can be declared

Season time;
and it can be assigned a value
time = Season.fall;
• The values are specified through the name of the type
• Enumerated types are type-safe – you cannot assign any value
other than those listed

3-49
 ORDINAL VALUES
• Internally, each value of an enumerated type is stored as
an integer, called its ordinal value
• The first value in an enumerated type has an ordinal
value of zero, the second one, and so on
• However, you cannot assign a numeric value to an
enumerated type, even if it corresponds to a valid ordinal
value

3-50
 ENUMERATED TYPES

• The declaration of an enumerated type is a special type of

class, and each variable of that type is an object
• The ordinal method returns the ordinal value of the object

• The name method returns the name of the identifier

corresponding to the object's value

3-51
 ICECREAM.JAVA
public class IceCream
{
enum Flavor {vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, fudgeRipple, coffee, rockyRoad,
mintChocolateChip, cookieDough}

public static void main (String[] args)

{
Flavor cone1, cone2, cone3;

cone1 = Flavor.rockyRoad;
cone2 = Flavor.chocolate;

System.out.println ("cone1 value: " + cone1);

System.out.println ("cone1 ordinal: " + cone1.ordinal());
System.out.println ("cone1 name: " + cone1.name());

3-52
 ICECREAM.JAVA
System.out.println ();
System.out.println ("cone2 value: " + cone2);
System.out.println ("cone2 ordinal: " + cone2.ordinal());
System.out.println ("cone2 name: " + cone2.name());

cone3 = cone1;

System.out.println ();
System.out.println ("cone3 value: " + cone3);
System.out.println ("cone3 ordinal: " + cone3.ordinal());
System.out.println ("cone3 name: " + cone3.name());
}
}
3-53
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-54
 WRAPPER CLASSES
• The java.lang package contains wrapper classes that
correspond to each primitive type:

Primitive Type Wrapper Class

byte Byte
short Short
int Integer
long Long
float Float
double Double
char Character
boolean Boolean
void Void
3-55
 WRAPPER CLASSES
• The following declaration creates an Integer object which
represents the integer 40 as an object

Integer age = new Integer(40);

• An object of a wrapper class can be used in any situation where
a primitive value will not suffice
• For example, some objects serve as containers of other objects

• Primitive values could not be stored in such containers, but

wrapper objects could be

3-56
 WRAPPER CLASSES
• Wrapper classes also contain static methods that help manage the
associated type
• For example, the Integer class contains a method to convert an
integer stored in a String to an int value:

num = Integer.parseInt(str);
• The wrapper classes often contain useful constants as well
• For example, the Integer class contains MIN_VALUE and
MAX_VALUE which hold the smallest and largest int values

3-57
 AUTOBOXING

• Autoboxing is the automatic conversion of a primitive value

to a corresponding wrapper object:
Integer obj;
int num = 42;
obj = num;
• The assignment creates the appropriate Integer object
• The reverse conversion (called unboxing) also occurs
automatically as needed

3-58
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-59
 GRAPHICAL APPLICATIONS

• Except for the applets seen in the previous lecture, the example
programs we've explored thus far have been text-based
• They are called command-line applications, which interact with
the user using simple text prompts
• Let's examine some Java applications that have graphical
components
• These components will serve as a foundation to programs that
have true graphical user interfaces (GUIs)

3-60
 GUI COMPONENTS
• A GUI component is an object that represents a screen element such as a
button or a text field
• GUI-related classes are defined primarily in the java.awt and the
javax.swing packages
– JavaFX is the newer and better (but not covered in this course), refer to
your lab notes
– java.awt and javax.swing are still in use
• https://www.educba.com/javafx-vs-swing/
• The Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT) was the original Java GUI package
• The Swing package provides additional and more versatile components

3-61
 GUI CONTAINERS

• A GUI container is a component that is used to hold and organize

other components
• A frame is a container that is used to display a GUI-based Java
application
• A frame is displayed as a separate window with a title bar
– it can be repositioned and resized on the screen as needed

• A panel is a container that cannot be displayed on its own but is

used to organize other components
• A panel must be added to another container to be displayed
3-62
 GUI CONTAINERS
• A GUI container can be classified as either heavyweight or
lightweight
• A heavyweight container is one that is managed by the underlying
operating system
• A lightweight container is managed by the Java program itself

• Occasionally this distinction is important

• A frame is a heavyweight container and a panel is a lightweight

container

3-63
 LABELS
• A label is a GUI component that displays a line of text

• Labels are usually used to display information or identify other

components in the interface
• Let's look at a program that organizes two labels in a panel and
displays that panel in a frame
• This program is not interactive, but the frame can be
repositioned and resized

3-64
 AUTHORITY.JAVA
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class Authority

{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
JFrame frame = new JFrame ("Authority");

frame.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

JPanel primary = new JPanel();

primary.setBackground (Color.yellow);
primary.setPreferredSize (new Dimension(250, 75));
3-65
 AUTHORITY.JAVA
JLabel label1 = new JLabel ("Question authority,");
JLabel label2 = new JLabel ("but raise your hand first.");

primary.add (label1);
primary.add (label2);

frame.getContentPane().add(primary);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
3-66
 NESTED PANELS

• Containers that contain other components make up the

containment hierarchy of an interface
• This hierarchy can be as intricate as needed to create
the visual effect desired
• The following example nests two panels inside a third
panel – note the effect this has as the frame is resized

3-67
 NESTEDPANELS.JAVA
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class NestedPanels

{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
JFrame frame = new JFrame ("Nested Panels");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

// Set up first subpanel

JPanel subPanel1 = new JPanel();
subPanel1.setPreferredSize (new Dimension(150, 100));
subPanel1.setBackground (Color.green);
JLabel label1 = new JLabel ("One");
subPanel1.add (label1);
3-68
 NESTEDPANELS.JAVA
// Set up second subpanel
JPanel subPanel2 = new JPanel();
subPanel2.setPreferredSize (new Dimension(150, 100));
subPanel2.setBackground (Color.red);
JLabel label2 = new JLabel ("Two");
subPanel2.add (label2);

// Set up primary panel

JPanel primary = new JPanel();
primary.setBackground (Color.blue);
primary.add (subPanel1);
primary.add (subPanel2);

frame.getContentPane().add(primary);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
3-69
}
OUTLINE
Creating Objects
The String Class
Packages
Formatting Output
Enumerated Types
Wrapper Classes
Components and Containers
Images

3-70
 IMAGES
• Images are often used in a programs with a graphical interface

• Java can manage images in both JPEG and GIF formats

• As we've seen, a JLabel object can be used to display a line of

text
• It can also be used to display an image

• That is, a label can be composed of text, and image, or both at

the same time

3-71
 The ImageIcon class is used
to represent an image that is
stored in a label

The position of the text

IMAGES relative to the image can be
set explicitly

The alignment of the text

and image within the label
can be set as well

3-72
 LABELDEMO.JAVA
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class LabelDemo {

public static void main (String[] args) {
JFrame frame = new JFrame ("Label Demo");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon ("devil.gif");

JLabel label1, label2, label3;

label1 = new JLabel ("Devil Left", icon, SwingConstants.CENTER);

label2 = new JLabel ("Devil Right", icon, SwingConstants.CENTER);

label2.setHorizontalTextPosition (SwingConstants.LEFT);
label2.setVerticalTextPosition (SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
3-73
 LABELDEMO.JAVA
label3 = new JLabel ("Devil Above", icon, SwingConstants.CENTER);
label3.setHorizontalTextPosition (SwingConstants.CENTER);
label3.setVerticalTextPosition (SwingConstants.BOTTOM);

JPanel panel = new JPanel();

panel.setBackground (Color.cyan);
panel.setPreferredSize (new Dimension (200, 250));
panel.add (label1);
panel.add (label2);
panel.add (label3);

frame.getContentPane().add(panel);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
3-74
SUMMARY

• This lecture focused on:

– object creation and object references
– the String class and its methods
– the Java standard class library
– the Random and Math classes
– formatting output
– enumerated types
– wrapper classes
– graphical components and containers
– labels and images

3-75