oop - java - design patterns - inheritance with static variables -

i have person class extends record class , i'd define database table name, columns, , column types static variables in person class. i'd following can't because can't modify objects when not in method(i think? java noob here).

class person extends record{     protected static final string dbtable = "people";     protected static linkedhashmap<string, string> dbcolumns = new linkedhashmap<string, string>();     dbcolumns.put("id","integer");     dbcolumns.put("name", "text"); } 

i following looks messy , not readable if table has several columns

class person extends record{     protected static final string dbtable = "people";     protected static final string[] dbcolumns= {"id","name"};     protected static final string[] dbcolumntypes= {"integer","text"};  } 

i don't want define these in constructor because want static method in parent class(record) can following list of person records

list<person> people = person.getall(); 

my initial thought create following abstract methods in record class , implementation in person class return appropriate static variables.

public abstract string gettablename(); public abstract string[] getcolumnnames(); public abstract string[] getcolumntypes(); 

but can't because static method, getall(), can't reference non-static methods. how let static method, getall(), aware static variables exist in extended class , can use them?

i'm know there's correct way go doing this, can't figure out.

you you're doing abstract methods, , need change static getall() getall(record record) , have call methods.

you're on right track. avoid relying on static things outside of class in favor of exposing instance methods may call private or protected static fields, personally.