Programming

Fundamentals

Week 1
Introduction to Java

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 What is a program?
• A set of statements that are executed in order
to complete a task
Statement
1

Statement
2

Statement
3
 What is a program ?

Program Binary
Problem Solution
Statements code
• A program is • Each program • Each program • The binary
written to statement is statement is code is
solve a written to converted into executed in
problem help achieve binary code so order to
the goal the computer achieve the
can execute it goal
 Examples of Programs
• Webpages

• Phone applications

• Point of sale systems

 Introduction to Object Oriented
Programming
• Object-oriented programs are made up of
objects that interact with each other
• OOP uses classes to define objects and
their behaviour
• Objects interact to produce functionality
e.g. purchase music online, search for the
cheapest Internet provider
 OO System - Example
• The computer system in the UTS library could
easily be written in Java or some other OO
language
• Examples of objects in a library system:
• Books – author, title (how many?)
• Borrowers - students & staff (how many?)
• Examples of classes in a library system:
• Book
• Student
 Introduction to Java
• Java is an Object Oriented programming
language
• Most Java systems contain many classes,
this is where programmers write the Java
code
 Introduction to Java
• When we run (execute) a program the
Java objects will be created and can then
run methods (behaviour)
• So we must learn how to create objects in
the Java code
 Blue J
• We will use a program called BlueJ to write
and execute our Java programs
• BlueJ is an IDE (Integrated Development
Environment)
• It allows us to write and run Java programs easily
• Blue J requires an installation of the JDK
 BlueJ – An IDE
• BlueJ is a tool for software programmers
• It allows us to write, compile, test and debug
code
• We can use the Object Bench for testing
• JDK & BlueJ can be downloaded freely from the
Internet
 Basic Structure - Calculator
• A simple Calculator can add, subtract, multiply
and divide two numbers
 Class definition for Calculator
class Calculator
Class name
{
Start of class

} End of class

This is the Java code for Calculator – we will

add the attributes (numberOne, numberTwo)
and methods (add, subtract, etc) later.
 Class Definitions
• Java class definitions are saved into a file with a
.java extension

• Class definition for Calculator would be saved

as:
Calculator.java

• This is the file that is saved onto the hard drive

of your computer so the code is not lost
 Adding Attributes to Calculator
class Calculator
Class name
{
int numberOne, numberTwo; Attributes

} End of class
 Attributes: Data Fields
• numberOne & numberTwo are also known as
data fields of the class – attributes

• Attributes store an object’s data

• These values can be different for every object
Adding Constructor to Calculator
class Calculator
Class name
{
int numberOne, numberTwo;

Calculator()
{ Constructor

}
}
End of class
 Constructors
• A constructor constructs (or creates) objects
• Once an object is created, we need to store
data for it, so the constructor can set attribute
values

Calculator()
{
numberOne = 5;
numberTwo = 7;
}
 Adding Constructor to Calculator
class Calculator
Class name
{
int numberOne, numberTwo;
Calculator()
{
numberOne = 5;
Setting
numberTwo = 7; attribute
values
}
} End of class
 Class versus Object
• 1 class, MANY objects

• Why do you need many objects?

• Because each object has it’s own set of values for
each attribute
• Calculator Object 1: numberOne = 21, numberTwo = 5
• Calculator Object 2: numberOne = 17, numberTwo = 3
• Calculator Object 3: numberOne = 4, numberTwo = 12
• But there is just 1 class Calculator that defines how a
Calculator works
 Why only 1 Calculator Class?
• ONE class creates MANY objects in the system
• This way we write the code ONCE, and use it
MANY times

• Example:
Write 1 Calculator class
Use it to create 100’s of calculator objects if
required
 Graphical representation of
classes and objects
Calculator
Class names
are not numberOne
underlined, numberTwo
Object names
are

calc1:Calculator calc2:Calculator calc3:Calculator

numberOne = 21 numberOne = 17 numberOne = 4

numberTwo = 5 numberTwo = 3 numberTwo = 12
 What actions can Calculators
perform?
• Actions that a program can perform are known
as the behaviour of the program -
add
subtract
multiply & more
• These would be methods in the Calculator class
i.e. things that Calculator objects do!
Updated class diagram showing
class attributes & methods

Class name Calculator

numberOne
Attributes numberTwo
Methods have ()
add() after them
Methods subtract()
multiply()
 Methods
• A method is a named group of statements
• When a method is called the statements in the
group are executed

name()
{
//statements
}
 Create an add() method in
Calculator
class Calculator
{
int numberOne, numberTwo;

Calculator()
{
}
void add()
{
}
}
 Void Methods
• add() is a void method – it has the keyword
void

void add()
{
//Statements go here
}

• A void method just executes the statements in

the group
 Display output to the user
• System.out.println() and System.out.print() –
both these methods print things to the screen
that the user can see
• print() – display result on current line
• println() – display on current line then
advance to a new line
• Example
System.out.println("Hello World!");
Print a message in add()
 Creating Multiple Objects
• The Object Bench is good for testing 1 object at
a time
• When we have multiple objects, we need
another class to control the program
(sometimes a main() method is used)
• We will just use a test class with a constructor,
to create multiple objects and call methods on
each object
 Test Calculator
class TestCalculator This is a comment in
the code (ignored
{ when the code is
Calculator calc1, calc2; executed)

TestCalculator() // Constructor
{
// Create two different calculator
objects
calc1 = new Calculator();
calc2 = new Calculator();
}
}
 Creating Calculator Objects
• After the Calculator class is defined, we need
code to create the calculator objects so they
can execute and perform tasks:
• Declare a calculator object:
Calculator calc1;
• Create the object:
calc1 = new
Calculator();
Or
Calculator calc1 = new Calculator();
 Object name vs Class name

Calculator calc1 = new Calculator();

Object name Class name

Notice how object names start with a lower

case letter, class names start with an UPPER
case letter (this is the Java convention)
 Constructing an Object
• When we create an object we are
‘constructing’ the object in the memory of the
computer (in the RAM)
• Therefore we use a special method in the class
called the Constructor
• When we use this method we need to also use
the keyword new
Calculator calc1 = new Calculator();
 Use the add() method
class TestCalculator
{
Calculator calc1, calc2;
TestCalculator()
{
// Create two different calculator
objects
calc1 = new Calculator();
calc2 = new Calculator();
calc1.add();
calc2.add();
}
}
 Use the add() method
• When we ‘use’ a method it is referred to as
‘calling’ or ‘invoking’ a method
• When methods are used, often it means
messages are being passed between objects

• The code to do this has the format:

objectName.methodName();
calc1.add();
 A note about comments
• Good code should always contain meaningful
comments
• // denotes an inline comment
• All data following this symbol (on any given line) is
ignored by the compiler
• All statements in code (not comments) must
end in a semi colon ;
• All programs should contain small comments to
explain what the code actually does
 Other comments
• /**
• *
• */

This is a multi-line comment – it is used to

provide header comments for classes and
methods
Key Concepts …

What is Programming?
What is OO?
BlueJ – write code, compile, run, test
Java basics:
Class, object, constructors,
methods
Displaying output