Setting instance variable with same name as method parameter?

Question

If I have code like this:

public class Foo {
    public int bar;

    public void setBar(int bar) {
        bar = bar;
    }
}

Eclipse warns me that the assignment doesn't do anything (for obvious reasons). Can I fix it by changing it to this.bar = bar; or is it best to just use a different variable name?

this.foo = foo; is an accepted convention in a set method or constructor. — azurefrog
– azurefrog, Commented May 13, 2014 at 1:53

Hovercraft Full Of Eels · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-13 01:53:15Z

3

Using this.bar = bar; is just fine. Most setters are coded this way.

answered May 13, 2014 at 1:53

Hovercraft Full Of Eels

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Comments

Sergey Kalinichenko · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-13 01:53:55Z

1

When you need to do something like that, one common course of action is to rename the function parameter.

public void setBar(int theBar) {
    bar = theBar;
}

If you would rather not do that, use this. prefix, like this:

this.bar = bar;

answered May 13, 2014 at 1:53

Sergey Kalinichenko

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4 Comments

Sergey Kalinichenko Over a year ago

@azurefrog It is often a team decision, when the team decides on the common coding standards. I've seen it done both ways.

wumbo Over a year ago

Thanks, this is for an assignment where we are given the method signatures so it's probably better for me to use this rather than changing it the parameter name.

Sergey Kalinichenko Over a year ago

@LionKing34 Parameter names are not part of a method signature, so you can freely change them.

wumbo Over a year ago

@dasblinkenlight True, I meant we were given the Javadoc file which does have paremeter names.

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