Static blocks and inheritence

Question

public class SubClass extends SuperClass {
static {
System.out.println("Sub class being called");
SuperClass.setS("TREX");
public class SuperClass {
protected static String s;
static {
System.out.println("Super being called ");
static public setS(String t) { s= t; }
static public String getS() { return s; }
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(SubClass.getS());
The above prints
"Super being called"
null
Why is "Sub class being called " not printed? It looks like
the subclass static block never gets called.?

Answer 1

hi
may be i did not something catch right concerning static blocks and inheritence
(jdk1.5x)
please have a look at the following example.
1. static block in subclass is only executed if the static vars are not defined final. why is this?
2. why does not any subclass has its "own" hashtable colors?
thanks
hanspeter
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
import java.util.Hashtable;
abstract class ParentStaticBlock  {
     static final Hashtable<Integer, String> colors = new Hashtable<Integer, String>();
     static void putColor(int colNumber, String colName) {
          colors.put(colNumber, colName );
     static String getColorNameFor(int colNumber) {
          return colors.get(colNumber);
final class Child1StaticBlock extends ParentStaticBlock {
     public final static int ROT = 0x00000D;
     public final static int GELB = 0x00000E;
     static {
          System.out.println(" hello, here static block of Child1StaticBlock...");
          putColor(ROT, "ROT");
          putColor(GELB, "GELB");
final class Child2StaticBlock extends ParentStaticBlock {
     public /*final*/ static int GRUEN = 0x00000A;
     public /*final*/ static int BLAU = 0x00000B;
     static {
          System.out.println(" hello, here static block of Child2StaticBlock...");
          putColor(GRUEN, "GR�N");
          putColor(BLAU, "BLAU");
public class TestChildStaticBlock {
      * @param args
     public static void main(String[] args) {
          int colNo;
          String colBez;
          System.out.println("Static elements class Child1StaticBlock ->");
          colNo = Child1StaticBlock.GELB ;
          colBez = Child1StaticBlock.getColorNameFor(colNo);
          System.out.println("color yellow has number >" + colNo + "< and label >" + colBez + "<");
          System.out.println("");
          System.out.println("Static elements class Child2StaticBlock ->");
          colNo = Child2StaticBlock.BLAU ;
          colBez = Child2StaticBlock.getColorNameFor(colNo);
          System.out.println("color blue has number >" + colNo + "< and label >" + colBez + "<");
          System.out.println("");
          System.out.println("contents of hashtable(s) ->");
          System.out.println("ParentStaticBlock.colors:" + ParentStaticBlock.colors);
          System.out.println("Child1StaticBlock.colors:" + Child1StaticBlock.colors);
          System.out.println("Child2StaticBlock.colors:" + Child2StaticBlock.colors);