# Nomenclature question for finding information about combining classes
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919
**Category:** Beginners
**Created:** [September 21, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919 "2022-09-21T18:17:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@debxyz](https://discourse.processing.org/u/debxyz)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/1 "2022-09-21T18:17:10Z")
Hello!!
Is this called **nested classes**?
I need to know the correct name for placing a class within a class so I can search for reference materials.
For example, if I have 3 separate classes:
1st one = Grid class
2nd one = Shape class
3rd one = Color class
I want to find info on how to access the Shape class in the Grid class, etc
Thank you in advance!
🤓
---
### Author:  [@NumericPrime](https://discourse.processing.org/u/NumericPrime)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/2 "2022-09-21T18:25:51Z")
It is called inner classes as far as I know.
Inner classes can’t have static elements and each instance is bound to a enclosing instance.
Processing handles it’s classes that way.
So if you create a new class in Processing it in reality creates a inner class of the sketches class.
Each element of a inner class can access the fields and methods of it’s enclosing instance. And vice versa.
Here is a little example:
```auto
class A {
A() {
}
B createNewInstance() {
return new B();
}
class B {
private int somePrivateField=0;
B() {
}
A getEnclosingInstance() {
Object ret=null;
try {
java.lang.reflect.Field f=this.getClass().getDeclaredField("this$1");
f.setAccessible(true);
ret=f.get(this);
}
catch(Exception e) {
}
return (A) ret;
}
}
}
void setup() {
A enclosingInstance=new A();
A.B innerInstance=enclosingInstance.new B();
println(innerInstance.somePrivateField);
println(enclosingInstance,innerInstance.getEnclosingInstance());
}
```
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/3 "2022-09-21T19:36:17Z")
you can also just write the 3 classes one after another separately:
```auto
class GridClass {
}
class ShapeClass {
}
class ColorClass {
}
```
and still have one class use the other; for example:
```auto
class GridClass {
ArrayList list = ArrayList();
void display();
for(ShapeClass shape1 : list) {
shape1.display();
}
}
}
class ShapeClass {
ColorClass col = new ColorClass();
void display() {
fill(col.fillColor);
}
}
class ColorClass {
color fillColor = color(222);
color strokeColor = color(111);
}
```
etc.
---
### Author:  [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/4 "2022-09-21T19:40:12Z")
> [@NumericPrime](#):
>
> Inner classes can’t have `static` elements…
Actually there’s a notable exception to that rule: 📏
> [@Using class-wide methods in non-static classes](https://discourse.processing.org/t/using-class-wide-methods-in-non-static-classes/1677/4):
>
> Nice step-by-step @kfrajer. However, we can exceptionally have static fields inside inner classes as long as they’re final & either primitive or String; b/c in this case, they become compile-time constants: grinning void setup() { final AutoCar car = new AutoCar(); println("Planet:", car); // Planet: MARS exit(); } class AutoCar { static final String PLANET = "MARS"; // Compile-time constant @Override String toString() { return PLANET; } }
---
### Author:  [@debxyz](https://discourse.processing.org/u/debxyz)
#### Post date: [September 22, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/5 "2022-09-22T00:08:23Z")
Hello @NumericPrime
Yes, I was wondering about inner classes. Though this looks a bit more complex than I had envisioned…
🫢
But I definitely appreciate seeing this example for future use when I’m further along in my coding knowledge.
Thank you!!
🤓
---
### Author:  [@debxyz](https://discourse.processing.org/u/debxyz)
#### Post date: [September 22, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/6 "2022-09-22T00:13:10Z")
@Chrisir !!
This makes sense. I think this is the direction I want to go.
Thank you!!
🤓
---
### Author:  [@debxyz](https://discourse.processing.org/u/debxyz)
#### Post date: [September 22, 2022, 4:01am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/nomenclature-question-for-finding-information-about-combining-classes/38919/7 "2022-09-22T04:01:21Z")
It took a little while but I finally got this to work!! Thank you again!!!
🤓
