this.variable inside the class etc

Question

I'm reading an android app and do not understand why the constructor in the ListeningQuestion.java uses this.variable = variable in its own constructor, but only variable = variable (no this) in the ListeningQuestionItem.java. They both have variable declared as private in the respective class. Why the differences? Any help?

Answer 1

The constructor as declared in ListeningQuestion.java you are looking -

public ListeningQuestion(String listeningFileID, String listeningSoundAddress, String listeningImageAddress,
                         ArrayList<ListeningQuestionItem> listeningQuestionItems) {
    this.listeningFileID = listeningFileID;
    this.listeningSoundAddress = listeningSoundAddress;
    this.listeningImageAddress = listeningImageAddress;
    this.listeningQuestionItems = listeningQuestionItems;

}

If we see the constructor, the name of the parameter is same as the name of private variable.

By specifying, this, I am explicitly asking to assign the value of parameter to the local variable. This signifies the instance to current class.

In case I do not use this keyword, the value will not be assigned to local private variable, but re assigned to the parameter value itself, because it has narrower scope.

It is a common convention to assign the parameter values to local variable this way.

Some stuff here and here about using this keyword

Now if you see the constructor of ListeningQuestionItem.java, The names of parameters and local variable, differs by case. And because there is no ambiguity, you can assign the value to private variable, without using this, as -

ListeningQuestionID = listeningQuestionID

Answer 2

As per https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/javaOO

Within an instance method or a constructor, this is a reference to the current object — the object whose method or constructor is being called.

An object has state, and in case there are same local variables of same name as of the instance fields then fields can be accessed using this keyword.

this.listeningFileID = listeningFileID;

In this case there is one instance variable named as listeningFileID which is accessed using this and other is the local variable which is passed as a parameter to the constructor.

Java variable names are case senstive. In the second case

ListeningQuestionContent = listeningQuestionContent;

Observe the first character , the field name is ListeningQuestionContent and the local variable passed as parameter is named as listeningQuestionContent. Here we do not have same names so this js not used (although this is same as this.ListeningQuestionContent = listeningQuestionContent;)