Question

I recently use this code, and realize that in anonymous class, I can’t access the instance by .this, like this:

Sprite sprFace = new Sprite() {

    @Override
    protected void onManagedUpdate(float pSecondElapsed) {
        runOnUpdateThread(new Runnable() {

        @Override
        protected void run() {    
            Sprite.this.getParent().detach(Sprite.this); // Here
        }});
    }

};

I know how to solve it (just declare a “me” variable), but I need to know why I can’t use <Class>.this?

Answer 1

The <Class>.this syntax gives a special way of referring to the object of type <Class>, as opposed to the shadowing type.

In addition, <Class> must be the name of the type you’re trying to access. In your case, Sprite is not the actual type of sprFace. Rather, sprFace is an instance of an anonymous subclass of Sprite, thus the syntax is not applicable.