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Baldwin explains the programming details involved in the use of array objects. He shows you three ways to emulate traditional two-dimensional rectangular arrays, and also shows you how to create and use ragged arrays.

Revised: Fri Apr 01 16:30:58 CDT 2016

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Table of contents

Preface

This module is one of a series of modules designed to teach you about Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) using Java.

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This module explains various details regarding the use of array objects in Java, and illustrates many of those details through the use of samplecode.

A sample program shows you three ways to emulate traditional two-dimensional rectangular arrays, and also shows you how to create and use ragged arrays.

Discussion and sample code

Array objects

A different syntax is required to create array objects than the syntax normally used to create ordinary objects.

Array objects are accessed via references.

Any of the methods of the Object class can be called on a reference to an array object.

The indices of a Java array object

Array objects encapsulate a group of variables, which don't have individual names. They are accessed using positive integer index values. The integerindices of a Java array object always extend from 0 to (n-1) where n is the length of the array encapsulated in the object.

Multidimensional arrays

Array objects in Java encapsulate one-dimensional arrays. However, the component type of an array may itself be an array type. This makes it possibleto create array objects whose individual components refer to other array objects. This is the mechanism for creating multi-dimensional or ragged arrays in Java.

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Source:  OpenStax, Object-oriented programming (oop) with java. OpenStax CNX. Jun 29, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11441/1.201
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