Java inheritance - subclass method override

I am struggling with an inheritance task in Java

I was given an Animal.java class. My homework is to create a subclass called Lion.java. One of the tasks I'm struggling with within the entire task is outputting the type of Lion it is based on the weight of the lion. This is the code for the Animal.java

public class Animal {
private int numTeeth = 0;
private boolean spots = false;
private int weight = 0;

public Animal(int numTeeth, boolean spots, int weight){
this.setNumTeeth(numTeeth);
this.setSpots(spots);
this.setWeight(weight);
}

public int getNumTeeth(){
return numTeeth;
}

public void setNumTeeth(int numTeeth) {
this.numTeeth = numTeeth;
}

public boolean getSpots() {
return spots;
}

public void setSpots(boolean spots) {
this.spots = spots;
}

public int getWeight() {
return weight;
}

public void setWeight(int weight) {
this.weight = weight;
}

public static void main(String args){
Lion lion = new Lion(30, false, 80);
System.out.println(lion);
}


}


This is my code for the Lion.java class so far:

public class Lion extends Animal {
String type = "";

public Lion(int numTeeth, boolean spots, int weight) {
super(numTeeth, spots, weight);
}
public String type(int weight){
super.setWeight(weight);
if(weight <= 80){
type = "Cub";
}
else if(weight <= 120){
type = "Female";
}
else{
type = "Male";
}
return type;
}
@Override
public String toString() {
String output = "Number of Teeth: " + getNumTeeth();
output += "nDoes it have spots?: " + getSpots();
output += "nHow much does it weigh: " + getWeight();
output += "nType of Lion: " + type;
return output;


The problem is the output does not return the type based on the if statement above. It's probably a very simple solution but I can't seem to figure it out.

type()

setWeight()

toString()

type

2 Answers
2

In toString method, instead of type replace with type() method.

@Override
public String toString() {
String output = "Number of Teeth: " + getNumTeeth();
output += "nDoes it have spots?: " + getSpots();
output += "nHow much does it weigh: " + getWeight();
output += "nType of Lion: " + type(getWeight());
return output;


Take a good look at your Lion constructor

Lion

public Lion(int numTeeth, boolean spots, int weight) {
super(numTeeth, spots, weight);
}


This doesn't do anything for the type (your public type method).

type

In order to set the private type class variable you need to either call the type method in the constructor or after the object has been created but before you call the toString method. For example

type

type

toString

public Lion(int numTeeth, boolean spots, int weight) {
super(numTeeth, spots, weight);
type(weight);
}


Note that, as pointed out in the comments, you probably would be better off handling the type directly in the setWeight method. You can do something like

type

setWeight

@Override
public void setWeight(int weight) {
super.setWeight(weight);
type(weight);
}


and leave the constructor alone.

Taking it one step further, you could refactor your code such that the type method has no parameter (you've already set the weight member).

type

weight

setWeight()

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