Trying to access an object's field but it has private access ! !

Question

Dear People,
I am trying to access the highestBid, a data member of the Bid class
in an Auction program.
If I try to set the highestBid:
bicycle.setHighestBid(steveBicycleBid);
The error message says:
"TryAuction.java": Error #: 306 : method setHighestBid(stan_bluej_ch4p90.Bid) has private access in class stan_bluej_ch4p90.Lot at line 58, column 15
IF I try to get the highest bid by saying:
System.out.println("The highest bid for this item is " + bicycle.getHighestBid() );
I get an object hex address as seen below instead of an integer value:
The highest bid for this item is stan_bluej_ch4p90.Bid@f4a24a
^^^
Below are the classes
Thank you in advance
stan
package stan_bluej_ch4p90;
//Purpose of project: To demonstrate collections of objects
//Version: 2001.05.31
//How to start this project:
// Create an Auction object.
// Enter a few lots via its enterLot method. Only String
// descriptions of the lots are required.
// Create one or more Person objects to represent bidders.
// Show the lots and select one to bid for.
// Get the required Lot onto the object bench.
// Enter a bid for the lot, passing the Person who is
// bidding to the bidFor method.
public class TryAuction
public static void main(String[] args)
//create the auction
Auction cityAuction = new Auction();
//create the lots for sale
Lot bicycle = new Lot(1,"bicycle");
Lot lamp = new Lot(2, "lamp");
Lot trailer = new Lot(3, "trailer");
//enter the lots into the city Auction
cityAuction.enterLot("A bicycle in so so condition");
cityAuction.enterLot("A brand new lamp");
cityAuction.enterLot("A trailer built in 2001");
//show the lots
System.out.println();
System.out.println("The first lot for sale: " + bicycle.getDescription());
System.out.println("The second lot for sale: " + lamp.getDescription());
System.out.println("The third lot for sale: " + trailer.getDescription());
//create the people who will bid for the lots
Person Steve = new Person("Steve");
Person Maria = new Person("Maria");
//create the people's bids
Bid mariaLampBid = new Bid(Maria, 460);
Bid steveLampBid = new Bid(Steve, 510);
//create the people's bids
Bid mariaBicycleBid = new Bid(Maria, 1460);
Bid steveBicycleBid = new Bid(Steve, 1510);
//create the people's bids
Bid steveTrailerBid = new Bid(Steve, 700510);
Bid mariaTrailerBid = new Bid(Maria, 900460);
//give the bids
bicycle.bidFor(Maria,1460);
bicycle.bidFor(Steve, 1510);
//bicycle.setHighestBid(steveBicycleBid);
System.out.println("The highest bid for this item is " + bicycle.getHighestBid() );
lamp.bidFor(Maria,460);
lamp.bidFor(Steve,510);
trailer.bidFor(Steve, 700510);
trailer.bidFor(Maria,900460);
System.out.println(" \nMaria's bicycle bid is : " + mariaBicycleBid.getValue() );
System.out.println("Steve's lamp bid is : " + steveBicycleBid.getValue() );
System.out.println(" \nMaria's lamp bid is : " + mariaLampBid.getValue() );
System.out.println("Steve's lamp bid is : " + steveLampBid.getValue() );
System.out.println("\nSteve's trailer bid is : " + steveTrailerBid.getValue() );
System.out.println(" Maria's trailer bid is : " + mariaTrailerBid.getValue() );
System.out.println();
cityAuction.showLots();
//cityAuction.close();
//The output I get is:
//The first lot for sale: bicycle
//The second lot for sale: lamp
//The third lot for sale: trailer
//The highest bid for this item is stan_bluej_ch4p90.Bid@f4a24a
//Maria's bicycle bid is : 1460
//Steve's lamp bid is : 1510
//Maria's lamp bid is : 460
//Steve's lamp bid is : 510
//Steve's trailer bid is : 700510
// Maria's trailer bid is : 900460
//1: A bicycle in so so condition
// (No bid)
//2: A brand new lamp
// (No bid)
//3: A trailer built in 2001
// (No bid)
package stan_bluej_ch4p90;
import java.util.*;
//Ex4.14
* A simple model of an auction.
* The auction maintains a list of lots of arbitrary length.
* @author David J. Barnes and Michael Kolling.
* @version 2001.06.08
public class Auction
// The list of Lots in this auction.
private ArrayList lots;
// The number that will be given to the next lot entered
// into this auction.
private int nextLotNumber;
* Create a new auction.
public Auction()
     lots = new ArrayList();
     nextLotNumber = 1;
* Enter a new lot into the auction.
* Lots can only by entered into the auction by an
* Auction object.
* @param description A description of the lot.
public void enterLot(String description)
     lots.add(new Lot(nextLotNumber, description));
     nextLotNumber++;
* Show the full list of lot numbers and lot descriptions in
* this auction. Include any details of the highest bids.
public void showLots()
     Iterator it = lots.iterator();
     while(it.hasNext()) {
     Lot lot = (Lot) it.next();
     System.out.println(lot.getNumber() + ": " +
               lot.getDescription());
     // Include any details of a highest bid.
     Bid highestBid = lot.getHighestBid();
     if(highestBid != null) {
          System.out.println(" Bid: " +
                    highestBid.getValue());
     else {
          System.out.println(" (No bid)");
* Return the lot with the given number. Return null
* if a lot with this number does not exist.
* @param number The number of the lot to return.
public Lot getLot(int number)
     if((number >= 1) && (number < nextLotNumber)) {
     // The number seems to be reasonable.
     Lot selectedLot = (Lot) lots.get(number-1);
     // Include a confidence check to be sure we have the
     // right lot.
     if(selectedLot.getNumber() != number) {
          System.out.println("Internal error: " +
                    "Wrong lot returned. " +
                    "Number: " + number);
     return selectedLot;
     else {
     System.out.println("Lot number: " + number + " does not exist.");
     return null;
// public void close()
// Iterator i = lots.iterator();
// while(i.hasNext())
//     System.out.println("The winning amount for the " + bicycle.getDescription()
//     + " is " + bicycle.getHighestBid());
//     System.out.println("The winning amount for the " + lamp.getDescription()
//     + " is " + lamp.getHighestBid());
//     System.out.println("The winning amount for the " + trailer.getDescription()
//     + " is " + trailer.getHighestBid());
package stan_bluej_ch4p90;
* A class to model an item (or set of items) in an
* auction: a lot.
* @author David J. Barnes and Michael Kolling.
* @version 2001.06.08
public class Lot
// A unique identifying number.
private final int number;
// A description of the lot.
private String description;
// The current highest bid for this lot.
private Bid highestBid;
* Construct a Lot, setting its number and description.
* @param number The lot number.
* @param description A description of this lot.
public Lot(int number, String description)
     this.number = number;
     this.description = description;
* Attempt to bid for this lot. A successful bid
* must have a value higher than any existing bid.
* @param bidder Who is bidding.
* @param value The value of the bid.
public void bidFor(Person bidder, long value)
     // We trust that lot is genuine. There is nothing to
     // prevent a spurious lot from being bid for, but it
     // would not appear in the auction list.
     if((highestBid == null) ||
     (highestBid.getValue() < value)) {
     // This bid is the best so far.
     setHighestBid(new Bid(bidder, value));
     else {
     System.out.println("\nLot number: " + getNumber() +
               " (" + getDescription() + ")" +
               " has a bid of: " +
               highestBid.getValue());
* @return The lot's number.
public int getNumber()
     return number;
* @return The lot's description.
public String getDescription()
     return description;
* @return The highest bid for this lot. This could be null if
* there are no current bids.
public Bid getHighestBid()
     return highestBid;
* @param highestBid The new highest bid.
private void setHighestBid(Bid highestBid)
     this.highestBid = highestBid;
package stan_bluej_ch4p90;
* A class that models an auction bid. The bid contains a reference
* to the Lot bid for and the user making the bid.
* @author David J. Barnes and Michael Kolling.
* @version 2001.05.31
public class Bid
// The user making the bid.
private final Person bidder;
// The value of the bid. This could be a large number so
// the long type has been used.
private final long value;
* Create a bid.
* @param bidder Who is bidding for the lot.
* @param value The value of the bid.
public Bid(Person bidder, long value)
     this.bidder = bidder;
     this.value = value;
* @return The bidder.
public Person getBidder()
     return bidder;
* @return The value of the bid.
public long getValue()
     return value;
package stan_bluej_ch4p90;
* Maintain details of someone who participates in an auction.
* @author David J. Barnes and Michael Kolling.
* @version 2001.05.31
public class Person
// The name of this user.
private final String name;
* Create a new user with the given name.
* @param name The user's name.
public Person(String name)
     this.name = name;
* @return The user's name.
public String getName()
     return name;
if I try to say
LotObjectName.getHighestBid, I get a

Answer 1

Dear EsoralTrebor,
Thank you very much for an enlightening explanation.
I had never tried to chain methods together before but it works !
anObject.methodOfTheObjectClassThatReturnsAnObjectOfAnotherClass.
methodOfTheObjectClassThatWasReturned();
my output correctly states:
The highest bid for the bicycle is 1510
The highest bid for the lamp is 510
The highest bid for the trailer is 900460
Thank you !
Stan
ps tomorrow I need to study the showLots() method in the Auction class
to figure out why that method is saying "No Bid" to everything
Have a Good Thanksgiving !