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How I can convert this Generic Class to a Parcelable?

I want to convert this generic class to a parcelable object, but I don't have very clear the concepts of the issue.
Class:
public class Type<T> implements Parcelable {
// T stands for "Type"
private T t;
public void set(T t) { this.t = t; }
public T get() { return t; }
}
This is what I've tried,. but I know that this is not correct, or maybe this is not complete.
public class Type<T> implements Parcelable {
// T stands for "Type"
private T t;
protected Type(Parcel in) {
}
public void set(T t) { this.t = t; }
public T get() { return t; }
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
}
public static final Creator< Type > CREATOR = new Creator< Type >() {
#Override
public Type createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new Type(in);
}
#Override
public Type[] newArray(int size) {
return new Type[size];
}
};
}

This is similar approach as vikas kumar but guarantte that you can pass only Parcelable as T parameter so you avoid exception.
public class Type<T extends Parcelable> implements Parcelable {
private T t;
protected Type(Parcel in) {
t = (T) in.readValue(t.getClass().getClassLoader());
}
public static final Creator<Type> CREATOR = new Creator<Type>() {
#Override
public Type createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new Type(in);
}
#Override
public Type[] newArray(int size) {
return new Type[size];
}
};
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeValue(t);
}
}

Your generic data type may cause runtime error
so make sure you implements Parcelable and also the class you are passing should implement Parcelable otherwise it will cause runtime error.
public class Type<T extends Parcelable> implements Parcelable {
// T stands for "Type"
private T t;
public void set(T t) { this.t = t; }
public T get() { return t; }
protected Type(Parcel in) {
final String className = in.readString();
try {
t = in.readParcelable(Class.forName(className).getClassLoader());
} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
Log.e("readParcelable", className, e);
}
}
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeValue(t);
}
#SuppressWarnings("unused")
public static final Parcelable.Creator<Type> CREATOR = new Parcelable.Creator<Type>() {
#Override
public Type createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new Type(in);
}
#Override
public Type[] newArray(int size) {
return new Type[size];
}
};
}

Android AIDL with Java generics

Does Android AIDL support generics?
For example, assume that I have a class Result<T>, where T can be any type including primitives (via autoboxing) or other custom classes such as Car. Any custom classes implement Parcelable as required by Binder.
Then possible AIDL method signatures would be
Result<Car> m1();
Result<Void> m2();
Result<Boolean> m3();

From what I could gather, the AIDL compiler doesn't like things like Result<Animal> getResult();. However, Result getResult(); does work. So this is what I did:
Created a class with the signature public class Result<T extends Parcelable> implements Parcelable.
Created a new class to throw into the first one, which is called Animal. The signature is public class Animal implements Parcelable.
Had to implement methods required by interface Parcelable and a CREATOR in both Result and Animal, and also created one AIDL for each as is required and imported both classes in the main AIDL. This stuff is regular AIDL work and is describe in the AIDL site.
Inside Result, we store not only an object of type T but also a Class object. When writing the parcel we need to write first the class type and only then the generic object. When reading, we do it in the same order. We need to write the class type because when we read we have to do t = (T) in.readValue(classType.getClassLoader()); and without a class type we do not know which class loader to fetch. There are probably other ways to do this but this is how I've done it for this example.
When receiving on the client node, I can successfully do Result<Animal> r = MainActivity.this.service.getResult(); and then call methods on both Result and Animal.
Some code that will hopefully makes things more clearer can be found below.
public class Result<T extends Parcelable> implements Parcelable {
private String msg;
private Class classType;
private T value;
public Result(String msg, T value, Class classType) {
this.msg = msg;
this.value = value;
this.classType = classType;
}
// to reconstruct object
public Result(Parcel in) {
readFromParcel(in);
}
public String getMsg() {
return msg;
}
public T getValue() {
return value;
}
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeString(msg);
dest.writeValue(classType);
dest.writeValue(value);
}
private void readFromParcel(Parcel in) {
this.msg = in.readString();
this.classType = (Class) in.readValue(Class.class.getClassLoader());
this.value = (T) in.readValue(classType.getClassLoader());
}
public static final Creator<Result> CREATOR = new Creator<Result>() {
#Override
public Result createFromParcel(Parcel source) {
return new Result(source);
}
#Override
public Result[] newArray(int size) {
return new Result[size];
}
};
}
public class Animal implements Parcelable {
private int n;
public Animal(int n) {
this.n = n;
}
public Animal(Parcel in) {
readFromParcel(in);
}
public int getN() {
return n;
}
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeInt(n);
}
private void readFromParcel(Parcel in) {
n = in.readInt();
}
public static final Creator<Animal> CREATOR = new Creator<Animal>() {
#Override
public Animal createFromParcel(Parcel source) {
return new Animal(source);
}
#Override
public Animal[] newArray(int size) {
return new Animal[size];
}
};
}
Excerpt from the Service:
#Override
public Result getResult() throws RemoteException {
Result<Animal> r = new Result<Animal>("this is an animal", new Animal(42), Animal.class);
return r;
}
Excerpt from the Client:
Result<Animal> r = MainActivity.this.service.getResult();
Log.d(TAG, "Received the following (Outer): " + r.getMsg());
Log.d(TAG, "Received the following (Inner): " + r.getValue().getN());
Another way to do it is changing the signature of Result into public class Result<T extends Serializable> implements Parcelable, making Animal implement Serializable, and then use dest.writeSerializable(value); and this.value = (T) in.readSerializable(); inside Result.
With this approach there is no need to send the class type to the other side or even use it at all. You will, nonetheless, pay the price.

Daniels solution almost worked for me except the thing with marshalling and unmarshaling classtype.
Instead of "dest.writeValue(classType);" and "this.classType = (Class) in.readValue(Class.class.getClassLoader());" I had to use "dest.writeSerializable(classType);" and "classType = (Class) in.readSerializable();" and it worked like a charm
Thank you Daniel

Is it possible to parcel a generic class?

I'm trying to create public class MyClass<T extends Parcelable> implements Parcelable. I'm having trouble implementing Parcelable. Is it possible to create a generic class that implements Parcelable? (Note that T is bounded so that it also must implement Parcelable).
I am running into trouble with the fact that the Parcelable interface requires a static variable: public static final Parcelable.Creator<MyParcelable> CREATOR. Thus I cannot do public static final Parcelable.Creator<MyClass<T>> CREATOR because MyParcelable<T> is nonstatic.
André

I had similar issues with implementing Parcelable on a class with a generic, the first issue was the same as what you were experiencing:
Thus I cannot do public static final Parcelable.Creator> CREATOR because MyParcelable is nonstatic.
The second was to read in a Parcelable object you need access to the ClassLoader which cannot be gotten from T due to type erasure.
The class below is an adaption of a class I am using in production which overcomes both issues. Note: I have not tested this class specifically, so let me know if you have any issues.
public class TestModel<T extends Parcelable> implements Parcelable {
private List<T> items;
private String someField;
public List<T> items() {
return items;
}
public void setItems(List<T> newValue) {
items = newValue;
}
public String someField() {
return someField;
}
public void setSomeField(String newValue) {
someField = newValue;
}
//region: Parcelable implementation
public TestModel(Parcel in) {
someField = in.readString();
int size = in.readInt();
if (size == 0) {
items = null;
}
else {
Class<?> type = (Class<?>) in.readSerializable();
items = new ArrayList<>(size);
in.readList(items, type.getClassLoader());
}
}
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeString(someField);
if (items == null || items.size() == 0)
dest.writeInt(0);
else {
dest.writeInt(items.size());
final Class<?> objectsType = items.get(0).getClass();
dest.writeSerializable(objectsType);
dest.writeList(items);
}
}
public static final Parcelable.Creator<TestModel> CREATOR = new Parcelable.Creator<TestModel>() {
public TestModel createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new TestModel(in);
}
public TestModel[] newArray(int size) {
return new TestModel[size];
}
};
//endregion
}

Write the generic data member class name to the parcel and then read it back in order to create its class loader. Example,
public class MyClass<T> implements Parcelable {
T data;
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeString(data.getClass().getName());
dest.writeParcelable((Parcelable) data, 0);
}
private MyClass(Parcel in) {
final String className = in.readString();
try {
data = in.readParcelable(Class.forName(className).getClassLoader());
} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
Log.e("readParcelable", className, e);
}
}

Yes you can. You just need to store the class name or class loader during the construction of your subclass object and then you can pass it during the read/write operation of the parcelable.
Step by step instructions:
Step 1. Store the class name that extends from your Generic class like this:
public abstract class GenericClass<T> implements Parcelable {
private String className;
Step 2. Any classes that extends from your generic class must specify the class name during its construction like this:
public class MyClass extends GenericClass<MyClass> {
public MyClass () {
super();
setClassName(MyClass.class.getName()); // Generic class setter method
}
Step 3. In your generic class, you can then read/write your class names to getClassLoader() like this:
public abstract class GenericClass<T> implements Parcelable {
private String className;
T myGenericObject;
protected MyClass (Parcel in) {
super(in);
this.className = in.readString();
ClassLoader classLoader;
try {
classLoader = Class.forName(this.className).getClassLoader();
} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
myGenericObject = in.readParcelable(classLoader);
//... Other class members can go here
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
super.writeToParcel(dest, flags);
dest.writeString(className);
//... Other class members can go here
}
}

Based on answers above, have created extension functions for this.
fun <T : Parcelable> Parcel.writeGenericParcelable(data: T, flags: Int) {
writeString(data::class.java.name)
writeParcelable(data, flags)
}
fun <T : Parcelable> Parcel.readGenericParcelable(): T {
val className = readString()!!
val classNameLoader = Class.forName(className).classLoader
return readParcelable(classNameLoader)!!
}

Android Parcelable Cannot instantiate the type

I am working on an Android App, and I am trying to pass information using Parcelable. So here's what I've got.
import android.os.Parcel;
import android.os.Parcelable;
abstract class Role implements Parcelable {
private String name;
private String image;
public Role() {
}
public Role(Parcel read) {
name = read.readString();
image = read.readString();
}
public String getName() {
return name;
}
public void setName(String name) {
this.name = name;
}
public String getImage() {
return image;
}
public void setImage(String image) {
this.image = image;
}
public String toString() {
return this.name;
}
public static final Parcelable.Creator<Role> CREATOR =
new Parcelable.Creator<Role>() {
public Role createFromParcel(Parcel source) {
return new Role(source);
}
public Role[] newArray(int size) {
return new Role[size];
}
};
public int describeContents() {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
return 0;
}
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
dest.writeString(name);
dest.writeString(image);
}
}
However, when I try to compile I get the Error (where I placed the comment)
Cannot instantiate the Type Role
Any thoughts on this?
Best regards

I have not used parcelable in abstract class myself, but it should be ok. You may want to check here or more generally here
I have a VERY similar class (two strings) but its a public static class.
I do new() on my string members in the constructor.

Yout class Role is defined as abstract, the abstract classes cannot be instantiated.
just define your class Role:
class Role implements Parcelable {
//...
}

As qjuanp mentioned, one cannot instantiate an abstract class (as per Java's and common OOP definition; you cannot instantiate something that is abstract, it has got to be more defined).
I'm sure you're trying to use some subclasses of Role (that's about the only way you can use both abstract and implement Parcelable here), consider using this approach:
public abstract class A implements Parcelable {
private int a;
protected A(int a) {
this.a = a;
}
public void writeToParcel(Parcel out, int flags) {
out.writeInt(a);
}
protected A(Parcel in) {
a = in.readInt();
}
}
public class B extends A {
private int b;
public B(int a, int b) {
super(a);
this.b = b;
}
public static final Parcelable.Creator<B> CREATOR = new Parcelable.Creator<B>() {
public B createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new B(in);
}
public B[] newArray(int size) {
return new B[size];
}
};
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
public void writeToParcel(Parcel out, int flags) {
super.writeToParcel(out, flags);
out.writeInt(b);
}
private B(Parcel in) {
super(in);
b = in.readInt();
}
}

Help with creating a Parcelable class

I am trying to create a Parcelable class. The class extends TableRow:
import android.content.Context;
import android.os.Parcel;
import android.os.Parcelable;
import android.widget.TableRow;
public class AcmTableRow extends TableRow implements Parcelable{
private int index;
public boolean isSection;
private String volumeLink;
private String rowId;
private String cfr;
private static Context context;
public AcmTableRow(Context context) {
super(context);
}
public AcmTableRow(Context context, Parcel in) {
super(context);
AcmTableRow.context = context;
readFromParcel(in);
}
private void readFromParcel(Parcel in) {
//strValue = in.readString();
//intValue = in.readInt();
}
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return 0;
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
//dest.writeString(strValue);
//dest.writeInt(intValue);
}
public void setIndex(int index) {
this.index = index;
}
public int getIndex() {
return index;
}
public void setRowId(String rowId) {
this.rowId = rowId;
}
public String getRowId() {
return rowId;
}
public void setCfr(String cfr) {
this.cfr = cfr;
}
public String getCfr() {
return cfr;
}
public void setVolumeLink(String volumeLink) {
this.volumeLink = volumeLink;
}
public String getVolumeLink() {
return volumeLink;
}
public static final Parcelable.Creator<AcmTableRow> CREATOR = new Parcelable.Creator<AcmTableRow>() {
public AcmTableRow createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new AcmTableRow(context, in);
}
public AcmTableRow[] newArray(int size) {
return new AcmTableRow[size];
}
};
}
I am confused as what I need to put in:
readFromParcel(Parcel in)
And
writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags)
Any explanation or help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Phil

The writeToParcel method simply flattens the object into a parcel. You'll use this when you need to pass your object between activities. In your case, it should look like this:
public void writeToParcel (Parcel dest, int flags)
{
dest.writeInt(index);
dest.writeBoolean(isSection);
dest.writeString(volumeLink);
dest.writeString(rowId);
dest.writeString(cfr);
}
I've never had to use readFromParcel and I'm not sure you need to here either. Your object will be created from the Parcel when you call the appropriate method in your next activity.
Just a quick note, you probably don't want to pass the context in your parcelable class. I'm not even sure you can. You'll need to assign the context when you inflate the parcelable again later on.

This is a simple working Parcelable example:
public class ParcelableExample implements Parcelable {
private int intMember;
private String stringMember;
/*
* Getters and setters
* ....
*/
/*
* Constructors
* ....
*/
/*
* Custom parcelable implementation
*/
private ParcelableExample(Parcel in) {
// notice that we are reading in the same order as we have written
intMember = in.readInt();
stringMember = in.readString();
}
#Override
public int describeContents() {
return hashCode();
}
#Override
public void writeToParcel(Parcel dest, int flags) {
dest.writeInt(intMember);
dest.writeString(stringMember);
}
#SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
public static final Parcelable.Creator CREATOR = new Parcelable.Creator() {
public ParcelableExample createFromParcel(Parcel in) {
return new ParcelableExample(in);
}
public ParcelableExample[] newArray(int size) {
return new ParcelableExample[size];
}
}