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defining a constructor class and initialising values

I'm stuck on a homework question which asks me to define a constructor for class Jar which initialises the variable position to 0 and the variable stone to null. Was just wondering if the code I did below is the right way to do this? Also am I able to initialise the values used in this constructor in a different class?
public class Jar
{
public int position;
public Jar stone;
public Jar()
{
position = 0;
stone = null;
}
}

Was just wondering if the code I did below is the right way to do this?
Yes, although:
As Stultuske points out, those are the default values that the fields will get even if you don't assign anything to them, so the constructor isn't necessary. But if the assignment said to write one...
I always advise being explicit:
this.position = 0;
this.stone = null;
Java allows you to leave off the this. part, but I wouldn't.

Usage of final in java

I was wondering what the difference is between
public final type attribute_name;
and
private type attribute_name;
public type getA_name() {
return attribute_name;
}
Basically I want to make an attribute read-only, so it can't change after it has been initialized.
Do I make it public final, or do I make it private, and only make it accesible through a get method (without a set method)?

When it's not final but private, the class itself is able to change the value.

A final field MUST be set before the constructor exits. Once set, the reference cannot be modified (the value cannot be reassigned). Emphasis on the cannot be reassigned. This means that while the reference cannot change, the value itself can change.
This is legal:
final List<Integer> list = new List<Integer>();
list.add(5); // the value of list changes, but the reference doesn't
This is not:
final List<Integer> list = new List<Integer>();
list = new List<Integer>(); // may seem sort of redundant but the compiler won't allow it nonetheless
A private variable with a only getter can be reassigned internally by the class that holds it (but it's not visible externally so it cannot be reassigned outside the class holding it). Also, outside the class the reference is inaccessible so the variable cannot be modified except by the class holding it.
A final variable cannot be reassigned anywhere, but if it's public, another class can still access the reference and change the value of whatever object it points to.
If you don't want the variable to be reassigned after initialization as you described, use both final and private.
Use final for something like this:
public class User {
private final long registrationTimeMillis;
public User(/* various parameters probably would be here */) {
registrationTimeMillis = System.currentTimeMillis();
}
public long getRegistrationTimeMillis() {
return registrationTimeMillis;
}
}
We don't expect that a user's registration time will change, so it makes sense to not allow it to change after construction.
Use private with no setter for something like this:
public class VendingController() {
private int drinksStocked = 0;
private int drinksDispensed = 0;
public void dispenseDrink() {
drinksDispensed++;
}
public void stockDrinks(int numberOfDrinks) {
drinksStocked = getDrinksRemaining() + numberOfDrinks;
drinksDispensed = 0;
}
public int getDrinksRemaining() {
return drinksStocked - drinksDispensed;
}
}
We don't want the value of drinksDispensed to change except when dispenseDrink() or stockDrinks(int numberOfDrinks) is called. It still needs to be able to be reassigned by it's own class when the vending machine is refilled though, so we shouldn't make it final
With respect to using public final, generally in Java that's only done for constants and that static keyword is also included since constants shouldn't be dependent on an instance.
An example of when it makes sense to use public static final
public class UnitConversions {
public static final double CENTIMETERS_PER_INCH = 2.54;
}
It could then be used in a method as follows
public double convertFromCentimetersToInches(double centimeters) {
return centimeters / UnitConversions.CENTIMETERS_PER_INCH;
}
Best of luck OP and happy coding.
More reading on final fields

This depends on some factors.
If this is a real constant that is known before and will never change, then use final. In Java final fields can be initialized in the constructor as well, so if your value is known at construction time then you can use final too.
If this value gets set (once, multiple times) during runtime then use private + getter.

The final modifier allows a field to be assigned only once - it cannot be changed after that and it has to be set at during object construction (that is, before the constructor returns).
If you want to make the field read-only, use the principles of information hiding: make it private and provide a public getter that returns the field (or a copy of it for non-primitive types).
You should use public final only for true constants. Even if your field is immutable because of final it is often a good idea to still make it private.

The correct way is to think in the future. What would help you achieve your goals? Maybe later you would also like to give that variable a value. If I were you, I'd do this by creatin a get method and keeping the variable private.
Full documentation for final keyword : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_(Java)

Depends on where you want to access it from. Public variables can be accessed from any class within the project and package where private can only be accessed from the class where the variable is.
The 'final' operator makes it permanent and read-only.

Let's assume that type is a reference to an object, not a primitive type.
public final type attribute_name means that attribute_name cannot be reassigned to refer to something else. But attribute_name can be used to call a method that changes its state.
In private type attribute_name, only methods within the class can call methods on attribute_name.
So if you want it to remain constant, use approach (2). Limit the public methods to ones that ultimately call methods on attribute_name that don't modify its state.

Object in Object Array doesn't want to store my data

fairly new to this language. Long time lurker, first time question asker.
In my program, I load a bunch of strings from a text file and then pass all of that information inside of a String array to a program that takes the data point by point (it comes in a reliable pattern) and assigns it to variables inside a class.
I use this loop to create the objects.
Gladiator[] gladiator = new Gladiator[(match.contestants)];
for ( int a = 0; a < match.contestants; a++) {
gladiator[a] = new Gladiator();
gladiator[a].populategladiators(parsedInfo,a);
}
Gladiator class full of public final variables which are defined in the method populategladiators. The syntax is as follows:
this.name = parsedInfo[0+mod][0];
this.culture = parsedInfo[1+mod][0];
this.background = parsedInfo[2+mod][0];
etc.
At the moment, I only load two gladiators and it seems like maybe both are being set at once with both pass throughs? Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Also, in another method in class Gladiator, should I be able to call this.name and be okay to get data about the object I specified when calling the method?
Edit: Trying to make the code look right. Giving up since there isn't much.
2nd Edit: Example of variable declaration in gladiator class:
public static String name;
public static String culture;
public static String background;

I had my variables set as static, thus it wasn't allowing me to set individual variables for the objects. I just didn't understand what the static keyword meant.

Casting string as a integer member, possible?

Ok my problem isnt really a serious one, im just trying to find a clever way of access/modification of class member variables. Here is the code:
public class Storage{
private int cookies= 0;
private int rolls= 0;
private int candies= 0;
private int lolipops= 0;
private int iceCreams= 0;
public void addCookies(int howMuch){ //this is the dirty way of creating method for
this.cookies = cookies+howMuch; //every member variable
}
public void addValue(String stat, int howMuch){ //i would like to do it only
//by passing the name
//of variable and then cast it as integer
//so that it would relate to my class members
int value = this.(Integer.parseInt(stat)); // <- YES i know its ridiculous
//im just trying to explain what is my aim
value = value + howMuch;
this.(Integer.parseInt(stat)) = value;
}
}
Generally i would like to access a field by passing its name to a method, read value of that member, add to it some value, and then store it. Yes i know that it easily can be done with separate methods, or even with one by using some arraylist and comparisons of member names with parameter passed to method. But i would like to do it "fast" without redundant code writing.
Now i have like 5 members, but what about 15000? My aim is to simplify the whole processing and code writing. So generally is it possible to do such redundant code writing bypass? Since i know that i will always pass appropriate name to method... Unless the rule of thumb is to create method for each variable?

Normally you would use a collection like a Map.
public class Storage{
private final Map<String, Integer> inventory = ...
public void addCount(String key, int count) {
Integer i = inventory.get(key);
if (i == null) i = 0;
inventory.put(key, i + count);
}

I guess that by using reflection you can iterate through the fields/methods of your object and do your computation.
For one specific field:
Field member = myObject.getClass().getField(fieldName);
// If you know the class: Field member = MyClass.class.getField(fieldName);
System.out.println(member.getInt(myObject)); // Get the value
member.setInt(myObject, 4); // Set the value
If you want to something for all the public members:
for(Field member: myObject.getClass().getFields())
// Or you can do: for(Field member: myClass.class.getFields())
{
member.getInt(myObject)); // Get the value
member.setInt(myObject, 4); // Set the value
}
Basically, what you do is that you find the Field object that represents the members of you object, then you can manipulate it.

Most IDEs will generate setters and getters for you. This will do what you want with no bother or effort. If this is insufficient, write a method which uses reflection to set the values.
If you have a class with 15000 members, and by this I assume you mean variables private to a class, then you have other issues to resolve.

Initializing on declaration vs initializing in constructors [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Closed 11 years ago.
Possible Duplicate:
Should I initialize variable within constructor or outside constructor
I was wondering, which is a better practice and why. Should I initialize class fields upon declaration, or should I do it in the constructor? Given that it's a simple one-line initialization.
class Dude
{
String name = "El duderino";
Dude() {
// irrelevant code
}
}
vs.
class Dude
{
String name;
Dude() {
name = "El duderino";
// irrelevant code
}
}
Edit: I am aware of the situations where one of the styles would be preferred over the other like in the case of executing initializer code that might throw an exception. What I'm talking about here are cases when both styles are absolutely equivalent. Both ways would accomplish the same task. Which should I use then?

If the member can only be set via an accessor (a "setter" method), I prefer the first style. It provides a hint that the initialized value is the default upon construction.
If the member can be specified during construction, I generally pass the default value to an appropriate constructor from constructor with fewer parameters. For example,
final class Dude {
private final String name;
Dude() {
this("El Duderino");
}
Dude(String name) {
this.name = name;
}
}

The first one is used usually to initialize static variable and should be used only for that purpose.
In this case, you should use the second method.
Please correct me if I am wrong.

It is best to declare variables inside the constructor for the sake of consistency. A variable may require something like a loop or an if-else statement to initialize it, which can not be done in the declaration without placing the operation inside of a method.
The exception to this rule is static variables, which should be declared outside of the constructor.

Single-line declarations cannot contain complex initialization logic.
If you initialize a variable as:
class AnotherClass
{
MyClass anObject = new MyClass(); //MyClass() throws a checked exception.
}
then you'll find that you cannot provide the initial value in the single line. You'll need to place such code in a block, that quite obviously goes inside a constructor (or in a non-static initialization block):
Using a constructor:
class AnotherClass
{
MyClass anObject;
AnotherClass()
{
try{this.anObject = new MyClass();}catch(SomeException e){/*handle exception.*/}
}
}
Using a initialization block:
class AnotherClass
{
MyClass anObject;
{
try{this.anObject = new MyClass();}catch(SomeException e){/*handle exception.*/}
}
}
I find that the latter makes for less understandable code, as the declaration and initialization are separated from each other, and the initialization does not occur in a constructor coded by the developer (although there is no difference at runtime).
The same goes for other complex routines involved in initialization of fields. For example, if you intend to initialize an Array or a Collection and set the contents of the array/collection to some default value, then you should do so inside a constructor:
class AnotherClass
{
Integer[] integers;
AnotherClass()
{
this.integers = new Integer[10];
for(Integer integer: integers)
{
integer = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
}
}
}