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Java Java Objects Delivering the MVP Forum

Eric Tang
PLUS
Eric Tang
Courses Plus Student 1,300 Points

Why args[0],args[1] instead of "firstName" ,"lastName"

Hi, so I'm up to the last question of the objective and i've completed it once before. But i'm confused as to why in the new User object I need to enter args[0],args[1] instead of "firstName" ,"lastName"

Forum.java
public class Forum {
  private String topic;
public Forum(String topic)
{
  this.topic=topic;
}
  // TODO: add a constructor that accepts a topic and sets the private field topic

  public String getTopic() {
    return topic;
  }



  public void addPost(ForumPost post) {
    System.out.printf("A new post in %s topic from %s %s about %s is available",
            topic,
            post.getAuthor().getFirstName(),
            post.getAuthor().getLastName(),
            post.getTitle()
    );
  }


}
User.java
public class User {
  // TODO: add private fields for firstName and lastName
private String firstName;
  private String lastName;

  public User(String firstName, String lastName) {
    // TODO: set and add the private fields
this.firstName=firstName;
    this.lastName=lastName;
  }

  public String getFirstName()
  {
    return firstName;
  }

  public String getLastName(){return lastName;}
  // TODO: add getters for firstName and lastName

}
ForumPost.java
public class ForumPost {
  private User author;
  private String title;
  private String description;

  // TODO: add a constructor that accepts the author, title and description
public ForumPost(User author,String title,String description)
{this.author=author;
 this.title=tile;
 this.description=description;

}
  public User getAuthor() {
    return author;
  }

  public String getTitle() {
    return title;
  }

  public String getDescription() {
    return description;
  }
}
Main.java
public class Main {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println("Beginning forum example");
    if (args.length < 2) {
      System.out.println("Usage: java Main <first name> <last name>");
      System.err.println("<first name> and <last name> are required");
      System.exit(1);
    }

    Forum forum = new Forum("Java");
    // TODO: pass in the first name and last name that are in the args parameter
    User author = new User(args[0,args[1]);
    // TODO: initialize the forum post with the user created above and a title and description of your choice
    ForumPost post = new ForumPost(author,"","");
    forum.addPost(post);


  }

}

3 Answers

Giovanni Esposito
Giovanni Esposito
7,830 Points

Hi Eric,

In the code above you'll be receiving the first name and the second name by command line when you execute your Java app, as first parameter (0) and second parameter (1). For that reason you'll need use the argument array passed by parameter on your main method and accessing by position to those values.

Here you will find official documentation: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/essential/environment/cmdLineArgs.html

I hope it has been helpful. Please remember vote for the answer.

Richard Lambert
PLUS
Richard Lambert
Courses Plus Student 7,180 Points

Hello mate,

firstName and lastName are declared as parameters within the User constructor, and can be referenced within the constructor's code block... BUT... they are just placeholders. You could call them whatever you like, so long as you keep in mind that they reference whatever arguments are passed into the constructor method when you instantiate an object of the User class. In this case, when a new instance is created in main, the arguments passed in are the arguments provided at the command line when the Java application is run.

Eric Tang
PLUS
Eric Tang
Courses Plus Student 1,300 Points

But where in the code did it assign arg to firstName or lastName?

Giovanni Esposito
Giovanni Esposito
7,830 Points

Hi Eric,

I'm sorry for the delay in giving you the feedback.

Well, this is your main method. Look the following line there "User author = new User(args[0],args[1]);" There you're getting both args and creating a new User instance with args[0] and args[1] (firstName and lastName).

In your User class you have implemented the constructor method as "public User(String firstName, String lastName)". and is in this method whedre you assign the values to firstName and LastName.

I hope it has been helpful. Please remember vote for the answer.