In C#, this is possible:
public interface IMyCoolInterface<TEntity> where TEntity : class
{
}
So the generic is confined / restricted to a class.
Is this possible with Java?
Generic parameters are always classes in Java. There's no other option. The language doesn't allow primitives to be parameters, and there's no equivalent to C#'s struct.
You can restrict it even further if you want the interface to be of a certain base type by adding the extends keyword within your generic
public interface MyGenericInterface<T extends List<?>> {
T convert(String value);
}
Now every class that implements MyGenericInterface must use an object that extends List in its implementation
public class MyClass implements MyGenericInterface<ArrayList<String>> {
#Override
public ArrayList<String> convert(String value) {
return new ArrayList<>();
}
}
Related
Consider the following Java method:
<T extends List<T>> List<T> getMyList() {
return Collections.emptyList();
}
I can assign its output to a variable with a raw type, like so:
List x = getMyList();
List<List> y = getMyList();
But, I can't think of any way to assign its output to a fully parameterized type. In particular, I can't think of a non-raw, concrete type T that would satisfy List<T> z = getMyList();
Can we create such a T ?
If not, why not?
For context, I created this question while trying to understand how Enums are implemented in Java.
Here's an example of a concrete type that both works and starts to hint at a possible use-case (registration of some sort). The type consists acts like both an instance of some type, and as a container for all instances of that type.
public class WeirdEnum extends AbstractList<WeirdEnum> {
private static List<WeirdEnum> underlyingList = new ArrayList<>();
#Override
public WeirdEnum get(int index) { return underlyingList.get(index); }
#Override
public int size() { return underlyingList.size(); }
static <T extends List<T>> List<T> getAList() {
return Collections.emptyList();
}
public WeirdEnum() {
underlyingList.add(this); // Sufficient for our example but not a good idea due to concurrency concerns.
}
static List<WeirdEnum> foo = WeirdEnum.getAList();
}
Not sure if I fully understand your question, but here's an example:
class Example<T> implements List<Example<T>> {
...
}
...
List<Example<String>> list = getMyList();
Every enum in Java extends from the base-enum-class Enum<T extends Enum<T>>, where T is the actual type of the implementing enum.
When writing SomeClass<T extends SomeClass<T>> you can enforce that the type-parameter is always the implementing class itself.
Let's say you have this interface:
public interface MyInterface<T extends MyInterface<T>> {
T getSelf();
}
And this implementing class:
public class MyClass implements MyInterface<MyClass> {
public MyClass getSelf() {
return this;
}
}
In MyClass it is not possible to use any other type-parameter than MyClass itself.
I have the following class hierarchy:
public abstract class Config<T> implements Proxy<T> {
public abstract T parse();
public T get() {....}
}
public class IntegerConfig<Integer> extends Config<Integer> {
public Integer parse() {...}
}
public class LongConfig<Long> extends Config<Long> {
public Long parse() {...}
}
public class IntegerListConfig<List<Integer>> extends Config<List<Integer>> {
public List<Integer> parse() {....}
}
And so on...
I'd like to introduce a new class:
public class ConfigMutation<T> implements Proxy<T> {
public ConfigMutation(....) {
//// create a concrete implementation of Config<T> according to actual parameterized type
}
}
Essentially, I'd like to avoid repeating the entire class hierarchy of Config, and support in ConfigMutation all types that have parameterized implementations in Config class hierarchy.
Couldn't find a way to do it. (Class<T>)((ParameterizedType)getClass().getGenericInterfaces()[0]).getActualTypeArguments()[0] obviously returns T, and not the actual type.
Also, once this problem is solved, I'd be happy if someone could suggest some factory pattern with generic types, so when I'm instantiating a Config derived class inside ConfigMutation, I wouldn't have to do it with a huge if...else block on actual type.
Thanks,
Lior
Change your ConfigMutation class to :
public class ConfigMutation<U,T extends Config<U>> implements Proxy<U> {
public ConfigMutation() {
}
}
You can then use ConfigMutation as :
ConfigMutation<Integer,IntegerConfig> mutation;
You won't be able to do something as follows which is what you want :
ConfigMutation<String,IntegerConfig> mutation;
That said, there is a change you need to make to your concrete Config implementers as well. For example, change IntegerConfig to :
public class IntegerConfig extends Config<Integer> {
public Integer parse() {...}
}
The Integer in IntegerConfig<Integer> will be considered as a type parameter and not the Integer class which is not what you want. (An IDE should give you a warning for this; The type parameter Integer is hiding the type Integer)
I'm having difficulty using generics for a redesign/refactoring I'm doing on an existing design.
public interface DataDto {
// some data here
}
public interface SetDto<MyDataDto extends DataDto> {
List<MyDataDto> getData();
}
public interface Results<MySetDto extends SetDto<DataDto>> {
MySetDto getResults();
}
public interface MyProblemInterface<MyDataDto extends DataDto,
MySetDto extends SetDto<MyDataDto>,
MyResults extends Results<MySetDto>> {
// some stuff here
}
My problem is that I get the following error for MyProblemInterface:
Bound mismatch: The type MySetDto is not a valid substitute for the
bounded parameter <MySetDto extends SetDto<DataDto>> of the type
Results<MySetDto>
I admit my experience with generics is somewhat limited, but basically I'm trying to enforce that all three of the types in MyProblemInterface are the same "type". For example, if I have ADataDto, BDataDto, ASetDto<ADataDto>, BSetDto<BDataDto>, AResults<ASetDto>, BResults<BSetDto>, I want to ensure a class can't implement MyProblemInterface in a manner like AMyProblemInterface<ADataDto, ASetDto, BResults>. I would think that since MySetDto extends SetDto<MyDataDto> just fine, I could continue to take that further, but I'm apparently wrong.
Thank you for any help.
You want too much from Java generics.
It would be simpler to declare your interface as following:
public interface MyProblemInterface<MyDataDto extends DataDto>
And then force method to use SetDto<MyDataDto> and Results<MySetDto>.
By using generics in class/interface declaration you specify some kind of variety which is determined later in definition. But in your case you said that SetDto and Results will always have MyDataDto as parameter, so there is no variety.
Shouldn't it be something like this instead, and you add the actual classes only when implementing the interfaces.
Updated the code, because I forgot to add the right Results definition. This should work.
public interface DataDto {
// some data here
}
public interface SetDto<T extends DataDto> {
List<T> getData();
}
public interface Results<T extends SetDto<? extends DataDto>> {
T getResults();
}
public interface MyProblemInterface<T extends DataDto, E extends SetDto<T>, K extends Results<E>> {
// some stuff here
}
I have this generic interface:
public interface TjbListener<T> {
public void hearChange(T t);
}
Which I use like this:
public interface ObjectOneListener extends TjbListener<ClassOne> {
}
I would like to write an abstract generic class A which takes a generic type U as a parameter and has a method (1) which itself calls a method (2) on U. Below is my attempt U should extend (or implement maybe?) the generic TjbListener interface.
public abstract class ListenerInformer<U extends TjbListener<"what should I write here">> {
List<U> mListeners = new ArrayList<U>();
public void addListener(U u){
mListeners.add(u);
}
public void informAll("what should I write here"){
for(U u:mListeners){
u.hearChange("what should I write here");
}
}
}
One solution I thought of as I was writing this question is below, but I don't know if it's really a solution, or if it has subtle problems I don't understand:
public abstract class ListenerInformer<U extends TjbListener<T>,T> {
List<U> mListeners = new ArrayList<U>();
public void addListener(U u){
mListeners.add(u);
}
public void informAll(T t){
for(U u:mListeners){
u.hearChange(t);
}
}
}
UPDATE: BEWARE
I have just discovered that this approach is almost useless for my particular case because the same class cannot implement the same interface with different parameters. See the question linked below. This means that I cannot have one class be a listener of two different types with my (or Johanna's) solution, without using a different strategy like composition.
How to make a Java class that implements one interface with two generic types?
Your second example should work. But if it is as simple as that, then there is no need for the Generic U, because every instance of a subclass of TjbListener also is an instance of TjbListener.
You can do more simple:
public abstract class ListenerInformer<T> {
List<TjbListener<T>> mListeners = new ArrayList<TjbListener<T>>();
public void addListener(TjbListener<T> u){
mListeners.add(u);
}
public void informAll(T t){
for(TjbListener<T> u:mListeners){
u.hearChange(t);
}
}
}
That works as your code does and is easier to handle.
Two generic types is necessary if you need the final implementation type of the subclass of TjbListener as return value of parameter, for example if you have
public U informAll2(T t){
for(U u:mListeners){
u.hearChange(t);
if (...)
return u;
}
}
In this case your declaration with two generic types is correct (just I'm not sure if it is possible to declare the generic U, which depends of T, before you declare T, of if you have to declare T first, like public abstract class ListenerInformer<T, U extends TjbListener<T>> )
I have some problems implementing a Java feature.
I have a list of Sensors. I have different kinds of them, they all extend the base class Sensor.
I have some abstract functions in the base class, and I want these functions to take an Enum as a parameter. The problem is that the Enum is unique for each sub class, and therefore, I can't declare the Enum in the base class.
The code below has Enum as parameter. I know it's not legal syntax, but I just want to illustrate that this is where I want to have the sub class Enum as parameter.
private Vector<Sensor> sensors;
public abstract class Sensor {
public Sensor() {}
public abstract int getParam(Enum param);
public abstract void setParam(Enum param, int value);
}
public class TempSensor extends Sensor {
// Parameter names
public static enum TEMP_PARAMETERS{ PARAM_ALARM_HI, PARAM_ALARM_LO }
public TempSensor() {}
#Override
public int getParam(TEMP_PARAMETERS param) {
// Will do some stuff here
return 0;
}
#Override
public void setParam(TEMP_PARAMETERS param, int value) {
// Will do some stuff here
}
}
If the different Enums implement an interface, I can use the interface as the parameter type in the abstract methods, but then I can pass Enums that don't belong to the respective class as parameter. Is there a way to avoid that?
Looks like you want contradictory things. The whole point of using polymorphism is to take advantage of the substitution principle.
If you want to have a class hierarchy and be sure the right type is entered to the right object, you may consider using the factory pattern.
I strongly recommend against inheritance on Enums; Java doesn't handle that well.
You're on the right track. Assuming you have a marker interface called MyEnumTypeInterface, just have your different enums implement that inferface. Then use MyEnumTypeInterface as the type of the formal parameter for your methods that accept the enum. However, you need to ensure that you're getting an enum that implements MyEnumTypeInterface and not just any other class that implements MyEnumTypeInterface:
public <E extends Enum<E> & MyEnumTypeInterface>void getParam(E e)
This ensures that the formal parameter is an enum and that it implements MyEnumTypeInterface; the methed won't accept as a parameter, another class that also implements MyEnumTypeInterface.
So your classes end up looking like this:
public interface MyEnumTypeInterface {
}
public abstract class Sensor {
public Sensor() {}
public abstract <E extends Enum<E> & MyEnumTypeInterface>int getParam(E param);
public abstract <E extends Enum<E> & MyEnumTypeInterface>void setParam(E param, int value);
}
public enum TempEnum extends MyEnumTypeInterface {
PARAM_ALARM_HI,
PARAM_ALARM_LO
}
public class TempSensor extends Sensor {
public TempSensor() {}
#Override
public<E extends Enum<E> & MyEnumTypeInterface>int getParam(E param) {
return 0;
}
#Override
public <E extends Enum<E> & MyEnumTypeInterface>void setParam(E param, int value) {
// Will do some stuff here
}
}
So you want each Sensor to work a particular param type? That would mean making Sensor generic.
public abstract class Sensor<P extend Enum<P>> {
public Sensor() {}
public abstract int getParam(P param);
public abstract void setParam(P param, int value);
}
There are probably bigger problems with you design. Fixing those could remove the requirement for the get and set.