Passing Arrays to Methods

• To pass an array as an argument to a method, specify the name of the array without brackets.

  int hourlyTemperatures[] = new int[24];

  modifyArray( hourlyTemperatures );

  passes array hourlyTemperatures to method modifyArray.

• Although arrays are passed call-by-reference, individual elements of primitive data types are passed call-by-value.
• When an element of an array is not a primitive data type (e.g., an object or another array), then its too is passed call-by-reference.

  These are not new rules. They merely are applications of the 1 rule:

  Primitive data types are passed call-by-value (copied); objects and arrays are passed call-by-reference.

• To set up a method to receive an array, declare it in its parameter list.

  public void modifyArray( int b[] );

  This indicates that the method expects to receive an array of int.

• The accompanying applet illustrates the difference between passing an array and passing an array element which is a primitive data type.