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Start your free trialKyle Baker
1,884 PointsConfused about "kind" argument in the Pomodoro app example.
I'm a bit confused about how the "kind" argument (is it an argument or parameter?) is defined. At what point do we tell the program that "kind" is FOCUS or BREAK?
2 Answers
Andrew Winkler
37,739 PointsA parameter is a variable in a method definition. When a method is called, the arguments are the data you pass into the method's parameters. the quote to code by is "You define parameters, and you make arguments."
public void MyMethod(String myParam) { }
//versus
String myArg1 = "this is my argument";
myClass.MyMethod(myArg1);
Considering the code from the video:
public class Home {
private Attempt mCurrentAttempt;
private void prepareAttempt(AttemptKind kind) {
mCurrentAttempt = new Attempt(kind, "");
}
}
"kind" is a parameter of prepareAttempt().
During this video, Craig is defining prepareAttempt method... short and sweet Craig will focus on the different "kinds" after he sets up the basic function that uses them.
christopherkaczenski
16,079 PointsWhen Craig is using the Evaluate Expression tool in the video, he is setting the state of the application (or "telling the program" that the kind is FOCUS or BREAK). AttemptKind is of type enum, so we are passing the argument AttemptKind.FOCUS or AttemptKind.BREAK into the prepareAttempt() method. This is how the app knows if the kind is FOCUS or BREAK.
Kyle Baker
1,884 PointsKyle Baker
1,884 PointsGreat, thanks. This answers my question about whether it is an argument or parameter but what about, "At what point do we tell the program that "kind" is FOCUS or BREAK?"