CSI2008

Methods

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 Defining Methods
A method is a collection of statements that are
grouped together to perform an operation.
Define a method Invoke a method

int z = max(x, y);

public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)

if (num1 > num2)

result = num1;
else
result = num2;

return result;
}

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 Defining Methods
A method is a collection of statements that are
grouped together to perform an operation.
Define a method Invoke a method

return value method formal

modifier type name parameters
int z = max(x, y);
method
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
header
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
method
body parameter list
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
method
result = num2; signature

return result; return value

}

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 Method Signature
Method signature is the combination of the method name and the
parameter list.

Define a method Invoke a method

return value method formal

modifier type name parameters
int z = max(x, y);
method
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
header
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
method
body parameter list
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
method
result = num2; signature

return result; return value

}

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 Formal Parameters
The variables defined in the method header are known as
formal parameters.

Define a method Invoke a method

return value method formal

modifier type name parameters
int z = max(x, y);
method
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
header
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
method
body parameter list
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
method
result = num2; signature

return result; return value

}

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 Actual Parameters
When a method is invoked, you pass a value to the parameter. This
value is referred to as actual parameter or argument.

Define a method Invoke a method

return value method formal

modifier type name parameters
int z = max(x, y);
method
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
header
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
method
body parameter list
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
method
result = num2; signature

return result; return value

}

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 Return Value Type
A method may return a value. The returnValueType is the data type
of the value the method returns. If the method does not return a
value, the returnValueType is the keyword void. For example, the
returnValueType in the main method is void.
Define a method Invoke a method

return value method formal

modifier type name parameters
int z = max(x, y);
method
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
header
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
method
body parameter list
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
method
result = num2; signature

return result; return value

}

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 Calling Methods
Testing the max method
This program demonstrates calling a method max
to return the largest of the int values

Animation
TestMax Run

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animation

Calling Methods, cont.

pass the value of i

pass the value of j

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

i is now 5

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

j is now 2

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

invoke max(i, j)

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

invoke max(i, j)
Pass the value of i to num1
Pass the value of j to num2

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

declare variable result

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

(num1 > num2) is true since num1
is 5 and num2 is 2

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

result is now 5

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

return result, which is 5

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

return max(i, j) and assign the
return value to k

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animation

Trace Method Invocation

Execute the print statement

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 Reuse Methods from Other Classes
NOTE: One of the benefits of methods is for reuse. The max
method can be invoked from any class besides TestMax. If
you create a new class Test, you can invoke the max method
using [Link] (e.g., [Link]).

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Call Stacks

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Trace Call Stack
i is declared and initialized

i: 5

The main method

is invoked.

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Trace Call Stack
j is declared and initialized

j: 2
i: 5

The main method

is invoked.

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Trace Call Stack
Declare k

Space required for the

main method
k:
j: 2
i: 5

The main method

is invoked.

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Trace Call Stack
Invoke max(i, j)

Space required for the

main method
k:
j: 2
i: 5

The main method

is invoked.

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Trace Call Stack
pass the values of i and j to num1
and num2

num2: 2
num1: 5
Space required for the
main method
k:
j: 2
i: 5

The max method is

invoked.

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Trace Call Stack

Declare result

result:
num2: 2
num1: 5
Space required for the
main method
k:
j: 2
i: 5

The max method is

invoked.

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Trace Call Stack

(num1 > num2) is true

result:
num2: 2
num1: 5
Space required for the
main method
k:
j: 2
i: 5

The max method is

invoked.

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Trace Call Stack

Assign num1 to result

Space required for the

max method
result: 5
num2: 2
num1: 5
Space required for the
main method
k:
j: 2
i: 5

The max method is

invoked.

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Trace Call Stack

Return result and assign it to k

Space required for the

max method
result: 5
num2: 2
num1: 5
Space required for the
main method
k:5
j: 2
i: 5

The max method is

invoked.

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Trace Call Stack
Execute print statement

Space required for the

main method
k:5
j: 2
i: 5

The main method

is invoked.

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 void Method Example
This type of method does not return a value. The method
performs some actions.

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 Passing Parameters
public static void nPrintln(String message, int n) {
for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
[Link](message);
}

Suppose you invoke the method using

nPrintln(“Welcome to Java”, 5);
What is the output?

Suppose you invoke the method using

nPrintln(“Computer Science”, 15);
What is the output?

Can you invoke the method using

nPrintln(15, “Computer Science”);
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 Pass by Value

This program demonstrates passing values

to the methods.

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 Pass by Value

Testing Pass by value

This program demonstrates passing values
to the methods.

35
Pass by Value, cont.

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 Modularizing Code
Methods can be used to reduce redundant coding
and enable code reuse. Methods can also be used to
modularize code and improve the quality of the
program.

37
 Overloading Methods
Overloading the max Method

public static double max(double num1, double

num2) {
if (num1 > num2)
return num1;
else
return num2;
}

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 Ambiguous Invocation
Sometimes there may be two or more possible
matches for an invocation of a method, but the
compiler cannot determine the most specific
match. This is referred to as ambiguous
invocation. Ambiguous invocation is a
compile error.

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 Ambiguous Invocation
public class AmbiguousOverloading {
public static void main(String[] args) {
[Link](max(1, 2));
}

public static double max(int num1, double num2) {

if (num1 > num2)
return num1;
else
return num2;
}

public static double max(double num1, int num2) {

if (num1 > num2)
return num1;
else
return num2;
}
}
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 Scope of Local Variables
A local variable: a variable defined inside a
method.
Scope: the part of the program where the
variable can be referenced.
The scope of a local variable starts from its
declaration and continues to the end of the
block that contains the variable. A local
variable must be declared before it can be
used.
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 Scope of Local Variables, cont.
You can declare a local variable with the
same name multiple times in different non-
nesting blocks in a method, but you cannot
declare a local variable twice in nested
blocks.

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 Scope of Local Variables, cont.
A variable declared in the initial action part of a for loop
header has its scope in the entire loop. But a variable
declared inside a for loop body has its scope limited in the
loop body from its declaration and to the end of the block
that contains the variable.
public static void method1() {
.
.
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
.
The scope of i .
int j;
.
The scope of j .
.
}
}

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 Scope of Local Variables, cont.

It is fine to declare i in two It is wrong to declare i in

non-nesting blocks two nesting blocks

public static void method1() { public static void method2() {

int x = 1;
int y = 1; int i = 1;
int sum = 0;
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
x += i; for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
} sum += i;
}
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
y += i; }
}
}

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 Scope of Local Variables, cont.
// Fine with no errors
public static void correctMethod() {
int x = 1;
int y = 1;
// i is declared
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
x += i;
}
// i is declared again
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
y += i;
}
}
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 Scope of Local Variables, cont.
// With errors
public static void incorrectMethod() {
int x = 1;
int y = 1;
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
int x = 0;
x += i;
}
}

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 Method Abstraction
You can think of the method body as a black box
that contains the detailed implementation for the
method.
Optional arguments Optional return
for Input value

Method Header
Black Box
Method body

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 Benefits of Methods
• Write a method once and reuse it anywhere.
• Information hiding. Hide the implementation
from the user.
• Reduce complexity.

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