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any tools to trace code using eclipse line by line?

It's been long time since I've asked a question so forgive my mistakes.
So, I have a code which I don't understand. It's dealing with interface and super/sub class. I even have the answers to it but I just don't know how it got to the answer. My question is that, how would I learn tracing or is there a way I can see which lines are executed first in Eclipse?
For example, does eclipse or any other tool allows the user to actually see which and why the lines are printing?
Here is my code. I Have the correct answer to it but I just don't know how they traced it. Any help would be appreciated.
interface Silly {
public void narf();
public void poit(Silly s);
}
public class Bird implements Silly {
public static void main(String args[]) {
System.out.println("zero");
Silly s = new SillyBird(1);
Silly s2 = new Loony();
s.poit(s2);
s2.poit(s);
System.out.println("zymurgy");
}
public Bird() {
this(0);
System.out.println("zircon");
}
public Bird(int i) {
System.out.println("zanzibar");
}
public void narf() {
System.out.println("zort");
}
public void poit(Silly s) {
s.narf();
}
}
class SillyBird extends Bird {
public SillyBird() {
System.out.println("duchess");
}
public SillyBird(int i) {
super(i);
}
public void narf() {
System.out.println("drum");
super.narf();
}
}
class Loony extends SillyBird {
public Loony() {
System.out.println("stupendous");
}
public void narf() {
System.out.println("snark");
}
}
The output of the above code was:
zero
zanzibar
zanzibar
zircon
duchess
stupendous
snark
drum
zort
zymurgy

As mentioned by #Abra in the comments you can set a breakpoint at the functions you want to have a look at and use the ‚go into‘ operation to see what is going on in the function at execution. The debugger will show you the state of all locals and globals at each step of the execution

Anonymous inner class example validity concern

I was trying to review some of the Java language using a spark chart I had once bought. Regarding the use of anonymous inner classes they give this example :
Dice rollDice() {
return new Dice() {
int number = (int)( Math.random() * 6 ) + 1;
};
}
Problem is, I do not see how this would work, and can not get the compiler to accept it as a method within another class. The compiler complains about each reference to Dice "symbol can not be found."
Am I not understanding their example correctly or is this completely invalid code? Thanks in advance!
p.s. if this is working code, could someone provide me with an example of how it can be used?
Edit: I have found something that finally makes sense
The syntax for an anonymous inner class is shown below
new SuperClassName/InterfaceName() {
// Implement or override methods in superclass or interface
// Other methods if necessary
}
This above code is passed to a method that takes an instance of Superclass or completely implements the Interface. For instance, a method that has an EventHandlerparameter and we have not already defined a class that implements the handle(ActionEvent e) method.
enlargeButton.setOnAction(
new EventHandler<ActionEvent>() {
public void handle(ActionEvent e) {
circlePane.enlarge();
}
});
In this way, it will truly be anonymous. I think the example given in Java's own tutorial to be very poor.

It looks like you've mostly answered your own question and you will probably want to go through some full tutorial or documentation to understand things fully, but here are some answers to your immediate questions.
Your first sample code wont compile until you have a Dice class or interface you can extend. So as an example you can get this code to compile:
class Dicey {
interface Dice {
}
Dice rollDice() {
return new Dice() {
int number = (int) (Math.random() * 6) + 1;
};
}
public static void main(String... none) {
Dice dice = new Dicey().rollDice();
// dice.number; <-- not available
}
}
Now you can do this, but as you suspect this is not a very useful things to do (for a few reasons) but the biggest problem is that after you create this anonymous instance there isn't really a way to get to the .number member.
More usually you would have an anonymous subclass implement some methods on the interface, so that you can actually do something with it. So for example
class HelloAnonymous {
interface Hello {
String say();
}
Hello hello(String world) {
return new Hello() {
public String say() {
return world;
}
};
}
public static void main(String... none) {
System.out.println(new HelloAnonymous().hello("world").say());
// prints 'world'
}
}
gives you a way of making fantastically useful Hello objects that can say something. Having said all this, writing anonymous inner classes is fairly old school because functional interfaces now largely replace the need for them. So in this example you could have:
class HelloAnonymous {
#FunctionalInterface
interface Hello {
String say();
}
// old school
Hello hello(String world) {
return new Hello() {
public String say() {
return world;
}
};
}
// with lambda notation
Hello alsoHello(String world) {
return () -> {
return world;
};
}
public static void main(String... none) {
System.out.println(new HelloAnonymous().hello("world").say());
System.out.println(new HelloAnonymous().alsoHello("world").say());
}
}

since I don't know about 'Dice' class I cannot write same method but I try some thing similar to that. It compile and work can access 'number' variable by using reflection. My opinion is it is not very useful. Following is my code:
public class TestClass {
public static void main(String a[]){
TestClass aClass = rollDice();
try {
System.out.println("value of number : " + aClass.getClass().getDeclaredField("number").getInt(aClass));
}
catch (NoSuchFieldException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
static TestClass rollDice() {
return new TestClass() {
int number = (int) (Math.random() * 6) + 1;
};
}
}

That example is extremely broken. Throw that source away. Try this:
import java.util.Random;
public class DieFactory {
interface Die { int roll(); }
static Die create(long seed) {
Random random = new Random(seed);
return new Die() {
#Override
public int roll() {
return random.nextInt(6) + 1;
}
};
}
// Now you can roll 2 dice pretty easily.
public static void main(String [] args) {
DieFactory.Die die1 = DieFactory.create(42);
DieFactory.Die die2 = DieFactory.create(24);
for (int i = 0; i < 40; i++) {
System.out.println(die1.roll() + die2.roll());
}
}
}
Incidentally, the word "dice" is plural for the singular "die."

How to return String in anonymous class for a method returning void

I'm bit confused. I have the following:
public static String showInputDialog() {
Form frm = new Form();
final Command cmd = new Command("Ok");
final TextField txt = new TextField("Enter the text", null, 1024, 0);
frm.addCommand(cmd);
frm.append(txt);
frm.setCommandListener(new CommandListener() {
public void commandAction(Command c, Displayable d) {
if (c == cmd) {
return txt.getString(); // Error !!
} else {
return null; // Error !!
}
}
});
}
As you can see, I want to return the input dialog string, while the anonymous class method should return void. How can I resolve this problem?

This does not work as you expected.
I see there are already some solutions, but I feel a bit more discussion about what is actually going on might be helpful.
When you call the frm.setCommandListener(new CommandListener() { ... }) the code presents the user with a dialog where she can type in some text and submit, but the code does not stop and wait until the user finishes.
Instead the code continues to execute - without yielding the result. Only after the user finished typing and submits, you get called back to process the result - which might happen much later, or not at all.
I guess you have some code calling this method like:
public void someMethod(int foo, String bar) {
[...]
String result = MyInputForm.showInputDialog();
// do something with the result
System.out.println("hey, got a result "+ result);
[...]
}
Instead you need to reorganize this. First write a helper class handling the result:
public static class MyCallBack {
public MyCallBack(... /* here pass in what you need to process the result*/) {
... remember necessary stuff in instance variables
}
public void processResult(String result) {
// do something with the result
System.out.println("hey, got a result "+ result);
[...]
}
}
then the calling side does just:
public void someMethod(int foo, String bar) {
[...]
MyInputForm.showInputDialog( new MyCallBack(... here pass in stuff ...) );
[...]
}
and the actual code has to be changed to:
public static String showInputDialog(final MyCallBack callback) {
Form frm = new Form();
final Command cmd = new Command("Ok");
final TextField txt = new TextField("Enter the text", null, 1024, 0);
frm.addCommand(cmd);
frm.append(txt);
frm.setCommandListener(new CommandListener() {
public void commandAction(Command c, Displayable d) {
if (c == cmd) {
return callback.processResult(txt.getString());
} else {
return; // or just omit the else part
}
}
});
}
Two issues:
this way of programming feels pretty backwards, but it is really the way it works.
what feels not right is that I need to define a second helper class aside of the CommandListener. That is really not good style. I hope it can be improved, but as I do not see the complete code (which would be too much information anyway), I have to leave it to you to improve the code and get rid of the clutter. While I feel you want to have a modular, reusable input dialog helper, this might not be the best approach; better define the Form,TextField and Command directly where you need the result and get that running. Make it reusable in a second step after you get it running.

You don't need to return it if you instead do something with the String or store it somewhere, for example:
static String result;
public String commandAction(Command c, Displayable d) {
if (c == cmd) {
result = txt.getString();
} else {
result = null;
}
}
Although you'll have threading issues to deal with.

Given that CommandListener is fixed, 2 possible options are
Use a class member variable in the outer class & assign to that variable instead
private static String myText;
...
public static String showInputDialog() {
...
frm.setCommandListener(new CommandListener() {
public void commandAction(Command c, Displayable d) {
if (c == cmd) {
myText = txt.getString();
} else {
myText = null;
}
}
});
}
or Create a concrete implementation of your CommandListener and set the return value as a property of the new implementation
I would have a look at making the method/variable in this snippet non-static...

You cant return the string because you dont know when the listener will be called.
You can do something with it once you have the string though.
public static void showInputDialog() {
StringHandler sh = new StringHandler();
frm.setCommandListener(new CommandListener() {
public void commandAction(Command c, Displayable d) {
if (c == cmd) {
sh.handle(txt.getString());
} else {
sh.handle(null);
}
}
});}
public class StringHandler {
public void handle(String s){
// Do something with that string.
}
}

How to get reference to an anonymous object 2 levels up

I have code like this:
TextBox txt = new TextBox(){
public void onLoad(){
this.addFocusHandler(new FocusHandler(){
//some codes here
//if I use "this" keyword, it refers to the handler, but how can I get a reference to the textbox?
});
}
};
Question is embedded in the position.
Edit:
In respect to the answers, the creation of a pre-defined reference works for this situation, but this apparently lost (or at least reduce) the benefits of anonymous object/function.
I hope to find a way without creating a new reference. Rather just to get the reference from that scope.
After all the answers, here is a conclusion:
Reflection does not work in GWT. (at least I did not succeed) obj.getClass() works, but others like getMethods() or getEnclosingClass() don't work.
The way to get a reference can either be declaring a reference in the right scope, or get a higher level object reference and reference downwards. I prefer the latter simply because you don't need to create a new variable.

TextBox txt = new TextBox(){
public void onLoad(){
final TextBox finalThis = this;
this.addFocusHandler(new FocusHandler(){
finalThis.doSomething();
);
}
};

The enclosing instance of a non-static inner class (anonymous or named) in Java is available as ClassName.this, i.e.
TextBox txt = new TextBox(){
public void onLoad(){
this.addFocusHandler(new FocusHandler(){
doSomethingCleverWith(TextBox.this);
});
}
};

This has worked for me in the past. It works in client side js too. Here is a reference to more detail
What is the difference between Class.this and this in Java
public class FOO {
TextBox txt = new TextBox(){
public void onLoad(){
this.addFocusHandler(new FocusHandler(){
#Override
public void onFocus(FocusEvent event) {
FOO.this.txt.setHeight("100px");
}
});
}
};
}

This may work for you:
TextBox txt = new TextBox(){
public void onLoad(){
final TextBox ref = this;
this.addFocusHandler(new FocusHandler(){
public void doSomething(){
//some codes
ref.execute();
}
});
}
};
But I prefer to migrate inner classes to named classes:
public class Test {
public void demo(){
TextBox txt = new TextBox(){
public void onLoad(){
this.addFocusHandler(new DemoFocusHandler(this));
}
};
}
}
External FocusHandler:
public class DemoFocusHandler extends FocusHandler {
private TextBox textBox;
public DemoFocusHandler(TextBox textBox){
this.textBox = textBox;
}
public void doSomething(){
//some codes
textBox.execute();
}
}

If gwt supported reflection you could do something along the lines of this:
final TextBox txt = new TextBox() {
public void onLoad() {
final Object finalThis = this;
this.addFocusHandler(new FocusHandler() {
#Override
public void onFocus(FocusEvent event) {
try {
Method method= finalThis.getClass().getMethod("getVisibleLength");
method.invoke(finalThis);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
}
};
Without reflection the existing answers are you best bet. There are two gwt reflection projects gwt reflection and gwt-preprocessor both are in beta and I have not tried them.

Java-How do I call a class with a string?

I am a beginner programmer and this is my first question on this forum.
I am writing a simple text adventure game using BlueJ as a compiler, and I am on a Mac. The problem I ran into is that I would like to make my code more self automated, but I cannot call a class with a string. The reason I want call the class and not have it all in an if function is so that I may incorporate more methods.
Here is how it will run currently:
public class textadventure {
public method(String room){
if(room==street){street.enterRoom();}
}
}
public class street{
public enterRoom(){
//do stuff and call other methods
}
}
The if statement tests for every class/room I create. What I would like the code to do is automatically make the string room into a class name that can be called. So it may act like so:
Public method(string room){
Class Room = room;
Room.enterRoom();
}
I have already looked into using Class.forName, but all the examples were too general for me to understand how to use the function. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if there is any other necessary information (such as more example code) I am happy to provide it.
-Sebastien
Here is the full code:
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class Player extends JApplet{
public String textOnScreen;
public void start(){
room("street1");
}
public void room(String room){
if(room=="street1"){
textOnScreen=street1.enterRoom();
repaint();
}
if(room=="street2"){
textOnScreen=street2.enterRoom();
repaint();
}
}
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.drawString(textOnScreen,5,15);
}
}
public abstract class street1
{
private static String textToScreen;
public static String enterRoom(){
textToScreen = "You are on a street running from North to South.";
return textToScreen;
}
}
public abstract class street2
{
private static String textToScreen;
public static String enterRoom(){
textToScreen = "You are on another street.";
return textToScreen;
}
}

Seeing as you are rather new to programming, I would recommend starting with some programs that are simpler than a full-fledged adventure game. You still haven't fully grasped some of the fundamentals of the Java syntax. Take, for example, the HelloWorld program:
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
String output = "Hello World!"
System.out.println(output);
}
}
Notice that public is lowercased. Public with a capital P is not the same as public.
Also notice that the String class has a capital S.* Again, capitalization matters, so string is not the same as String.
In addition, note that I didn't have to use String string = new String("string"). You can use String string = "string". This syntax runs faster and is easier to read.
When testing for string equality, you need to use String.equals instead of ==. This is because a == b checks for object equality (i.e. a and b occupy the same spot in memory) and stringOne.equals(stringTwo) checks to see if stringOne has the same characters in the same order as stringTwo regardless of where they are in memory.
Now, as for your question, I would recommend using either an Enum or a Map to keep track of which object to use.
For example:
public class Tester {
public enum Location {
ROOM_A("Room A", "You are going into Room A"),
ROOM_B("Room B", "You are going into Room B"),
OUTSIDE("Outside", "You are going outside");
private final String name;
private final String actionText;
private Location(String name, String actionText) {
this.name = name;
this.actionText = actionText;
}
public String getActionText() {
return this.actionText;
}
public String getName() {
return this.name;
}
public static Location findByName(String name) {
name = name.toUpperCase().replaceAll("\\s+", "_");
try {
return Enum.valueOf(Location.class, name);
} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
return null;
}
}
}
private Location currentLocation;
public void changeLocation(String locationName) {
Location location = Location.findByName(locationName);
if (location == null) {
System.out.println("Unknown room: " + locationName);
} else if (currentLocation != null && currentLocation.equals(location)) {
System.out.println("Already in room " + location.getName());
} else {
System.out.println(location.getActionText());
currentLocation = location;
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Tester tester = new Tester();
tester.changeLocation("room a");
tester.changeLocation("room b");
tester.changeLocation("room c");
tester.changeLocation("room b");
tester.changeLocation("outside");
}
}
*This is the standard way of formating Java code. Class names are PascalCased while variable names are camelCased.

String className=getClassName();//Get class name from user here
String fnName=getMethodName();//Get function name from user here
Class params[] = {};
Object paramsObj[] = {};
Class thisClass = Class.forName(className);// get the Class
Object inst = thisClass.newInstance();// get an instance
// get the method
Method fn = thisClass.getDeclaredMethod(fnName, params);
// call the method
fn.invoke(inst, paramsObj);

The comments below your question are true - your code is very rough.
Anyway, if you have a method like
public void doSomething(String str) {
if (str.equals("whatever")) {
// do something
}
}
Then call it like
doSomething("whatever");

In Java, many classes have attributes, and you can and will often have multiple instances from the same class.
How would you identify which is which by name?
For example
class Room {
List<Monster> monsters = new ArrayList <Monster> ();
public Room (int monstercount) {
for (int i = 0; i < monstercount; ++i)
monsters.add (new Monster ());
}
// ...
}
Monsters can have attributes, and if one of them is dead, you can identify it more easily if you don't handle everything in Strings.