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instance method
subjectfact 
instance methodcan operate on the current object's instance variablessource: Sun Java Tutorial, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
can refer to the object itself using the 'this' keywordsource: Object Oriented Software Engineering by Lethbridge and Laganière, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
has definition A method that executes in the context of a particular object; it has access to the instance variables of the given object, and can refer to the object itself using the 'this' keyword    source: Object Oriented Software Engineering by Lethbridge and Laganière, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
has definition Any method that is invoked with respect to an instance of a classadded by: JK, source: Sun Java Tutorial, reference: Glossary, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
has access to every class variable of its classadded by: DS, source: Sun Java Tutorial, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
has example
public float credit(float amountToCredit) {
balance = balance + amountToCredit;
return balance;
}   
source: Object Oriented Software Engineering by Lethbridge and Laganière, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
implements the behaviour of the objects in the classadded by: JK, source: Sun Java Tutorial, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
is part of a classadded by: JK, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
is a subtopic of Methods2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
is a kind of instance memberadded by: JK, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
is a kind of methodadded by: JK, source: Sun Java Tutorial, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
may be declared public, protected or private    source: Object Oriented Software Engineering by Lethbridge and Laganière, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
should be placed in a class such that there is no needless duplication of it, and such that it is useful in all the subclasses of the class in which it is definedadded by: JK, source: On To Java, 2001-10-19 11:36:56.0
method    2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
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belongs to a class    2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
can access all instance variables of all objects of its class2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
can be inherited by subclasses of its class    2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
can be accessed by other methods and variables in any class in the same package by default    2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
can have an array as a parameter - see method parameter    2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
can use the super method to invoke a method declared in the superclass2001-10-19 11:37:21.0
cannot be passed as an argument to a method or constructor    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
creates an object by instantiating a class2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
does not return a value if it has a void return type2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
has part method definition2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
has part method signature2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
has part a block of implementation code2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
is equivalent to the terms "function member" or "member function" which are used in C++    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
is equivalent to the terms "routine", "function" or "method" which are used in non object-oriented programming languages    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
may contain empty return statement if it has a void return type    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
may have access modifier 2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
must contain return statement unless it has a void return type    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
must define its parameter list2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
must define its return type2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
overrides a method in a superclass with the same name2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
returns a value that is of the return type of the method or a subtype of that type    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
should be as private as possible2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
should have a comment at its head if the method is non-obvious2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
should not be public except for those that will definitely need to be called from outside the package    2001-10-19 11:37:22.0
should return to its caller from only one place which should be the last statement    2001-10-19 11:37:23.0
usually hides instance variables, class variables from other objects2001-10-19 11:37:23.0
access unithas access mode2001-10-19 11:35:59.0
syntactic unithas syntax rule
bold = mandatory
italic = non-terminal
normal font = optional
2001-10-19 11:38:04.0

Kinds of instance method :

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