# 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:** 1
**Showing post:** 4

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### Author: ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@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")

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> [@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; } }

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