accessing instance variables from static methods

[ravian]

Please review the code below:

Code:

public class CarClass {

public String carName;

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		carName = "Mazda";
		// cannot access static member here
	}

	public void setterMethod() {
		carName = "Mazda";
                // works fine
	}
}

Main is a static method and I want to access a non static variable (instance variable) called carName in main method. What is the best way of doing that?

Thanks.

[ShoeNinja]

The instance variables have to be declared as static. So your carName String would have to be:

Code:

public static String carName;

[ravian]

Thanks for the quick response.

Makes sense but this way my objects of CarClass class won't have their own copy of carName. How can I serve both the purposes?

Is there a way??

[ShoeNinja]

You could always put the main method in a different class.

[hardwired]

Code:

public class CarClass {
    public String carName;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create instance of enclosing class and save it in
        // a reference, viz, the local variable "carClass".
        CarClass carClass = new CarClass();
        // Use this instance variable to access
        // the member variable "carName".
        carClass.carName = "Mazda";
        //carName = "Mazda";
        // cannot access static member here
    }

    public void setterMethod() {
        carName = "Mazda";
        // works fine
    }
}

[ravian]

Thanks. It helps.