Calling base class overridden function from base class method

Question

public class A {     public void f1(String str) {         System.out.println("A.f1(String)");         this.f1(1, str);     }      public void f1(int i, String str) {         System.out.println("A.f1(int, String)");     } }    public class B extends A {     @Override     public void f1(String str) {         System.out.println("B.f1(String)");         super.f1(str);     }      @Override     public void f1(int i, String str) {         System.out.println("B.f1(int, String)");         super.f1(i, str);     } }   public class Main {     public static void main(String[] args) {         B b = new B();         b.f1("Hello");     } } 

I'm seeking that this code would output:

B.f1(String) A.f1(String) A.f1(int, String) 

Yet I'm getting:

B.f1(String) A.f1(String) B.f1(int, String) A.f1(int, String) 

I understand that under the context of B "this" in A.f1(String) is B's instance. Do I have the option to do the chain new B1().f1(String) -> (A's) f1(String) -> (A's) f1(int, String) ?

This is a theoretical question, practically the solution would obviously be in A to implement a private function that both f1(String) and f1(int, String) would call.

Thank you,
Maxim.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, no

As i'm sure you're aware, but I'll state explicitly for completeness - there are only the 2 keywords to control the method invocation:

• this - this.method() - looks for method starting from the invoking instance's class (the instance's "top" virtual table - implied default)
• super - super.method() - looks for method starting from the parent class of the class in which the invoking method is defined (the invoking class' parent's virtual table - not strictly true, but simpler to think of this way - thanks @maaartinus)

I can imagine another keyword (e.g. current?) do what you describe:

• current - current.method() - looks for method starting from the class in which the invoking method is defined

but Java doesn't have such a keyword (yet?).

Answer 2

I'm afraid, it's impossible, but there's a simple workaround:

public class A {     public void f1(String str) {         System.out.println("A.f1(String)");         privateF1(1, str);     }      private void privateF1(int i, String str) {         System.out.println("A.f1(int, String)");     }      public void f1(int i, String str) {         privateF1(i, str);     } }