Confused about a Java question

quinnd6

Topic title: The assertion mechanism in Java
Suppose you want to enable assertions for a class named "DemoApp" that is located in the C:\Java\samples directory. The class references various system classes that need to be tested. Which command would you use to enable assertions for the class?

Choose an option.

1: C:\>java -ea Java.samples.DemoApp
2: C:\>java -ea Java.samples.DemoApp...
3: C:\>java -esa -ea DemoApp
4: C:\>java -esa -ea:Java.samples.DemoApp

Now I thought the correct answer would be option 4 but apparently the correct answer is option 3.
The question doesn't state that the class is an application.
I don't understand how that can be correct could it be a mistake?
This is from a Java course.
Can someone help me understand this?

lynchie

Answer 4 would be correct if the full package name of DemoApp was Java.samples.DemoApp but as they stated that the class was just called "DemoApp" then answer 3 is correct.

But.. and somebody else correct me if Im wrong, but technically the answer is none of them as answer 3 would give a ClassNotFoundException as running the command from c:\> like the answers given above would need -cp c:\java\samples added to it?

ronivek

The assumption here is that C:\Java\samples is contained in the Java classpath environment variable I guess. Not that I'm advocating this type of question as being a good gauge of someones ability to do anything other than memorise command line arguments you'll likely never use; I suppose it might highlight if you understand the classpath mechanism enough to arrive at the right answer.