Help me understand how this polymorphism example works?

[DylanDubya]

public class PolymorphismDemo {
  /** Main method */
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Display circle and rectangle properties
    displayObject(new Circle4(1, "red", false));
    displayObject(new Rectangle1(1, 1, "black", true));
  }

  /** Display geometric object properties */
  public static void displayObject(GeometricObject1 object) {
    System.out.println("Created on " + object.getDateCreated() +
      ". Color is " + object.getColor());
  }
}

Now when this code is ran, the output is:
Created on Fri Sep 21 11:07:11 CDT 2012. Color is white
Created on Fri Sep 21 11:07:11 CDT 2012. Color is black

I don't understand why the circle isn't red?

Oh, I guess I should probably post the constructors for the different objects too.
Circle4 and Rectangle1 both extend GeometricObject1. Here is their constructors

Circle4:

public Circle4(double radius, String color, boolean filled) {
    super(color, filled);
    this.radius = radius;

Rectangle1:

public Rectangle1(double width, double height, String color, 
      boolean filled) {
    this.width = width;
    this.height = height;
    setColor(color);
    setFilled(filled);

GeometricObject1:

  public GeometricObject1() {
    dateCreated = new java.util.Date();
  }

  public GeometricObject1(String Color, boolean filled) {
    dateCreated = new java.util.Date();
    this.color = color;
    this.filled = filled;
  }

[thinkinjava24]

show your "getColor" method, please

[DarrylBurke]

Also the entire Circle4 class.

db

[DylanDubya]

Circle4 class:

package chapter11;

public class Circle4 extends GeometricObject1 {
  private double radius;

  public Circle4() {
  }

  public Circle4(double radius) {
	super();
    this.radius = radius;
  }

  public Circle4(double radius, String color, boolean filled) {
    super(color, filled);
    this.radius = radius;
    //setColor(color);
    //setFilled(filled);
  }

  /** Return radius */
  public double getRadius() {
    return radius;
  }

  /** Set a new radius */
  public void setRadius(double radius) {
    this.radius = radius;
  }

  /** Return area */
  public double getArea() {
    return radius * radius * Math.PI;
  }
  
  /** Return diameter */
  public double getDiameter() {
    return 2 * radius;
  }
  
  /** Return perimeter */
  public double getPerimeter() {
    return 2 * radius * Math.PI;
  }

  /* Print the circle info */
  public void printCircle() {
    System.out.println(toString() + "The circle is created " + getDateCreated() +
      " and the radius is " + radius);
  }
  
  public String toString() {
    return "Circle WWWW " + getColor() + super.toString();
  }
}

Geometric Object class:

package chapter11;

public class GeometricObject1 {
  private String color = "white";
  private boolean filled;
  private java.util.Date dateCreated;
  
  /** Construct a default geometric object */
  public GeometricObject1() {
    dateCreated = new java.util.Date();
  }

  /** Construct a geometric object with the specified color 
    *  and filled value */
  public GeometricObject1(String Color, boolean filled) {
    dateCreated = new java.util.Date();
    this.color = color;
    this.filled = filled;
  }

  /** Return color */
  public String getColor() {
    return color;
  }

  /** Set a new color */
  public void setColor(String color) {
    this.color = color;
  }

  /** Return filled. Since filled is boolean, 
     its get method is named isFilled */
  public boolean isFilled() {
    return filled;
  }

  /** Set a new filled */
  public void setFilled(boolean filled) {
    this.filled = filled;
  }
  
  /** Get dateCreated */
  public java.util.Date getDateCreated() {
    return dateCreated;
  }
  
  /** Return a string representation of this object */
  public String toString() {
    return "created on " + dateCreated + "\ncolor: " + color + 
      " and filled: " + filled;
  }
}

Rectangle class:

package chapter11;

public class Rectangle1 extends GeometricObject1 {
  private double width;
  private double height;

  public Rectangle1() {
  }

  public Rectangle1(double width, double height) {
    this.width = width;
    this.height = height;
  }

  public Rectangle1(double width, double height, String color, 
      boolean filled) {
    this.width = width;
    this.height = height;
    setColor(color);
    setFilled(filled);
  }

  /** Return width */
  public double getWidth() {
    return width;
  }

  /** Set a new width */
  public void setWidth(double width) {
    this.width = width;
  }

  /** Return height */
  public double getHeight() {
    return height;
  }

  /** Set a new height */
  public void setHeight(double height) {
    this.height = height;
  }

  /** Return area */
  public double getArea() {
    return width * height;
  }

  /** Return perimeter */
  public double getPerimeter() {
    return 2 * (width + height);
  }
}

[Tolls]

Stick some debug in those classes, specifically around the color information.
I can't spot where it's going wrong, but it's possible you're running old code, which should become apparent if you debug it.