generics + new = problem

[Mauro]

HI All,
This problem is not new, I read a lot, but I still do not understand
if there's a solution or not (shame on me).

The problem is: I want to build a generic class that constructs new
instances of the type variable.
i.e.:

public interface IOCElement extends Serializable, ChangeEmitter {
public String getName();
}

public class GenericListModel<T extends IOCElement> extends
AbstractListModel
implements ComboBoxModel, ChangeListener {
static final long serialVersionUID = 1l;

private ArrayList<T> tList = null;

public GenericListModel() {
tList = new ArrayList<T>();
}

// AbstractListModel implementation
public Object getElementAt(int index) { return tList.get(index); }
public int getSize() { return tList.size(); }
// needed for FreeMarker
public ArrayList<T> getTasks() { return tList; }
// ComboBoxModel implementation
transient private int selectedItem = -1;
public Object getSelectedItem() { return (selectedItem>=0)?
get(selectedItem): null; }
public void setSelectedItem(Object anItem) { if (anItem instanceof
IOCElement) { selectedItem = pos(((IOCElement)anItem).getName()); } }

// API
public T get(int index) { return tList.get(index); }
public int add(String name) {
int index = 0;
if (tList.add(new T(name))) {
index = tList.size();
tList.get(index-1).addChangeListener(this);
selectedItem = -1;
fireIntervalAdded(this, index, index);
}
return index-1;
}
..... etc. etc.

Everything is ok BUT the line that reads:
if (tList.add(new T(name))) {

I understand that erasures make this difficult for the compiler, but:
Is there a way around this (possibly using newInstance(),
constructor() or whatever)?
Can someone tell me exactly what I should do? (if anything can be
done).

Thanks in Advance
Mauro

 

[Tom Hawtin]

The problem is: I want to build a generic class that constructs new
instances of the type variable.

if (tList.add(new T(name))) {

Even if T was, say, an interface you would still have a problem,
generics or not.

What you need is a factory.

interface NamedObjectFactory<T> {
T create(String name);
}
....
interface IOCElementSubtype extends IOCElement {
...
}
....
class ConcreteIOCElement implements IOCElementSubtype {
...
}
....
new GenericListModel<IOCElementSubtype>(
new NamedObjectFactory<IOCElementSubtype>{
public IOCElementSubtype create(String name) {
return new ConcreteIOCElement(name);
}
}
)
....
if (data.add(factory.create(name))) {

Tom Hawtin

 

[CD1]

Hi Mauro,

How can you tell the type T has a constructor with a String parameter?
If you know you'll only use a type (or certain types) in this method,
try not using generics.

Cya!

 

[Adam Maass]

This problem is not new, I read a lot, but I still do not understand
if there's a solution or not (shame on me).

The problem is: I want to build a generic class that constructs new
instances of the type variable.
i.e.:

The classical answer is to require a parameter of type Class<T>.

Then you can keep the Class variable and reflect on it using
....newInstance().

Of course, there's no guarantee that the Class will actually have a
constructor with the parameters you expect.

 

[Tom Hawtin]

The classical answer is to require a parameter of type Class<T>.

That's the classical answer to a different question...

Then you can keep the Class variable and reflect on it using
...newInstance().

Noooo, not reflection! Class.newInstance is the most evil of them all.

Tom Hawtin