Simply store that instance anywhere you like, then expose it with a getter. The getter simplye returns that instance. You can initialize it in the constructor or if it's static, simply do an if statement to verrify it's not null, if it is null, istantiate it, then return it. This is called a singleton design pattern. Like this public MyClass getStuff() { if(stuff == null) stuff = new MyClass(); return stuff; } Take care, Sina -----Original Message----- From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mehgcap Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 2:51 PM To: programmingblind Subject: java: passing around class instances? Hi all, I am working with Android (yet again). Because of the way Android works, you cannot have a dialog created that takes arguments from the parent; instead, you use a data structure called an intent, in which you put everything the child needs to run. However, I have a non-serializable object (intents only accept primitives, strings, and serialized objects) which the child needs to access but which is created in the parent. I want to know how I can give two separate classes, one of which is the main class, access to the same instance of an object? As a simple example, say we have object o, in class c. Class a is the parent and has in it the line: c obje=new c(); Now, class a's child, class b, needs access not just to class c, but to the specific obj instance of c that was made in a. Is there a way to let both classes share the same instance of an object without serializing? I maybe could import a inside b, but a is the main file (runs at application start) so I feel like that would not be a great way of doing things. Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I can post the android code if you want, but I am not sure how much good it would do. -- Have a great day, Alex (msg sent from GMail website) mehgcap@xxxxxxxxx; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind