This question already has answers here:
Does Java have something like C#'s ref and out keywords?
(7 answers)
Closed 1 year ago.
Could someone please give me some sample code that uses an output parameter in function? I've tried to Google it but just found it just in functions. I'd like to use this output value in another function.
The code I am developing intended to be run in Android.
Java passes by value; there's no out parameter like in C#.
You can either use return, or mutate an object passed as a reference (by value).
Related questions
Does Java have something like C#'s ref and out keywords?
? (NO!)
Is Java pass by reference? (NO!)
Code sample
public class FunctionSample {
static String fReturn() {
return "Hello!";
}
static void fArgNoWorkie(String s) {
s = "What am I doing???"; // Doesn't "work"! Java passes by value!
}
static void fMutate(StringBuilder sb) {
sb.append("Here you go!");
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
String s = null;
s = fReturn();
System.out.println(s); // prints "Hello!"
fArgNoWorkie(s);
System.out.println(s); // prints "Hello!"
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
fMutate(sb);
s = sb.toString();
System.out.println(s); // prints "Here you go!"
}
}
See also
What is meant by immutable?
StringBuilder and StringBuffer in Java
As for the code that OP needs help with, here's a typical solution of using a special value (usually null for reference types) to indicate success/failure:
Instead of:
String oPerson= null;
if (CheckAddress("5556", oPerson)) {
print(oPerson); // DOESN'T "WORK"! Java passes by value; String is immutable!
}
private boolean CheckAddress(String iAddress, String oPerson) {
// on search succeeded:
oPerson = something; // DOESN'T "WORK"!
return true;
:
// on search failed:
return false;
}
Use a String return type instead, with null to indicate failure.
String person = checkAddress("5556");
if (person != null) {
print(person);
}
private String checkAddress(String address) {
// on search succeeded:
return something;
:
// on search failed:
return null;
}
This is how java.io.BufferedReader.readLine() works, for example: it returns instanceof String (perhaps an empty string!), until it returns null to indicate end of "search".
This is not limited to a reference type return value, of course. The key is that there has to be some special value(s) that is never a valid value, and you use that value for special purposes.
Another classic example is String.indexOf: it returns -1 to indicate search failure.
Note: because Java doesn't have a concept of "input" and "output" parameters, using the i- and o- prefix (e.g. iAddress, oPerson) is unnecessary and unidiomatic.
A more general solution
If you need to return several values, usually they're related in some way (e.g. x and y coordinates of a single Point). The best solution would be to encapsulate these values together. People have used an Object[] or a List<Object>, or a generic Pair<T1,T2>, but really, your own type would be best.
For this problem, I recommend an immutable SearchResult type like this to encapsulate the boolean and String search results:
public class SearchResult {
public final String name;
public final boolean isFound;
public SearchResult(String name, boolean isFound) {
this.name = name;
this.isFound = isFound;
}
}
Then in your search function, you do the following:
private SearchResult checkAddress(String address) {
// on address search succeed
return new SearchResult(foundName, true);
:
// on address search failed
return new SearchResult(null, false);
}
And then you use it like this:
SearchResult sr = checkAddress("5556");
if (sr.isFound) {
String name = sr.name;
//...
}
If you want, you can (and probably should) make the final immutable fields non-public, and use public getters instead.
Java does not support output parameters. You can use a return value, or pass in an object as a parameter and modify the object.
You can either use:
return X. this will return only one value.
return object. will return a full object. For example your object might include X, Y, and Z values.
pass array. arrays are passed by reference. i.e. if you pass array of integers, modified the array inside the method, then the original code will see the changes.
Example on passing Array.
void methodOne{
int [] arr = {1,2,3};
methodTwo(arr);
...//print arr here
}
void methodTwo(int [] arr){
for (int i=0; i<arr.length;i++){
arr[i]+=3;
}
}
This will print out: 4,5,6.
As a workaround a generic "ObjectHolder" can be used. See code example below.
The sample output is:
name: John Doe
dob:1953-12-17
name: Jim Miller
dob:1947-04-18
so the Person parameter has been modified since it's wrapped in the Holder which is passed by value - the generic param inside is a reference where the contents can be modified - so actually a different person is returned and the original stays as is.
/**
* show work around for missing call by reference in java
*/
public class OutparamTest {
/**
* a test class to be used as parameter
*/
public static class Person {
public String name;
public String dob;
public void show() {
System.out.println("name: "+name+"\ndob:"+dob);
}
}
/**
* ObjectHolder (Generic ParameterWrapper)
*/
public static class ObjectHolder<T> {
public ObjectHolder(T param) {
this.param=param;
}
public T param;
}
/**
* ObjectHolder is substitute for missing "out" parameter
*/
public static void setPersonData(ObjectHolder<Person> personHolder,String name,String dob) {
// Holder needs to be dereferenced to get access to content
personHolder.param=new Person();
personHolder.param.name=name;
personHolder.param.dob=dob;
}
/**
* show how it works
*/
public static void main(String args[]) {
Person jim=new Person();
jim.name="Jim Miller";
jim.dob="1947-04-18";
ObjectHolder<Person> testPersonHolder=new ObjectHolder(jim);
// modify the testPersonHolder person content by actually creating and returning
// a new Person in the "out parameter"
setPersonData(testPersonHolder,"John Doe","1953-12-17");
testPersonHolder.param.show();
jim.show();
}
}
Wrap the value passed in different classes that might be helpful doing the trick, check below for more real example:
class Ref<T>{
T s;
public void set(T value){
s = value;
}
public T get(){
return s;
}
public Ref(T value) {
s = value;
}
}
class Out<T>{
T s;
public void set(T value){
s = value;
}
public T get(){
return s;
}
public Out() {
}
}
public static void doAndChangeRefs (Ref<String> str, Ref<Integer> i, Out<String> str2){
//refs passed .. set value
str.set("def");
i.set(10);
//out param passed as null .. instantiate and set
str2 = new Out<String>();
str2.set("hello world");
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
Ref<Integer> iRef = new Ref<Integer>(11);
Out<String> strOut = null;
doAndChangeRefs(new Ref<String>("test"), iRef, strOut);
System.out.println(iRef.get());
System.out.println(strOut.get());
}
This is not accurate ---> "...* pass array. arrays are passed by reference. i.e. if you pass array of integers, modified the array inside the method.
Every parameter type is passed by value in Java. Arrays are object, its object reference is passed by value.
This includes an array of primitives (int, double,..) and objects. The integer value is changed by the methodTwo() but it is still the same arr object reference, the methodTwo() cannot add an array element or delete an array element. methodTwo() cannot also, create a new array then set this new array to arr. If you really can pass an array by reference, you can replace that arr with a brand new array of integers.
Every object passed as parameter in Java is passed by value, no exceptions.
Thank you. I use passing in an object as a parameter. My Android code is below
String oPerson= null;
if (CheckAddress("5556", oPerson))
{
Toast.makeText(this,
"It's Match! " + oPerson,
Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
private boolean CheckAddress(String iAddress, String oPerson)
{
Cursor cAddress = mDbHelper.getAllContacts();
String address = "";
if (cAddress.getCount() > 0) {
cAddress.moveToFirst();
while (cAddress.isAfterLast() == false) {
address = cAddress.getString(2).toString();
oPerson = cAddress.getString(1).toString();
if(iAddress.indexOf(address) != -1)
{
Toast.makeText(this,
"Person : " + oPerson,
Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
System.out.println(oPerson);
cAddress.close();
return true;
}
else cAddress.moveToNext();
}
}
cAddress.close();
return false;
}
The result is
Person : John
It's Match! null
Actually, "It's Match! John"
Please check my mistake.
Related
How can I represent a value via an object(A custom value)
Hello, I would like to ask how to represent a value using object (I am not talking about referring the the object itself, but represent a custom value.)
This is one of the class that I found having a custom value
It is wrapper class. When I try to print a wrapper class object (Integer for example),it prints out the value that I stored in it.
package Testing;
public class test {
static Integer one = 1;
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(one);
}
}
So, I create an Integer object, and when I print it, it prints the value that I stored in it.
So,
I wanted to understand how it work. Sorry if it is a build in feature (that can't be coded in regular java)
Thank you :)
I will tell you the internal logic about System.out.println().
this is println(Object o) method.
public void println(Object x) {
String s = String.valueOf(x); // In summary, the output string in this line is determined.
synchronized (this) {
print(s);
newLine();
}
}
this is valueOf(Object o) method.
public static String valueOf(Object obj) {
return (obj == null) ? "null" : obj.toString(); // Here you can see that obj's toString() method is called.
}
In summary, when you println() with an object, it prints according to the return value of the toString() method in the object.
Now, let's see your case about Integer class.
private final int value;
public String toString() {
return toString(value);
}
public static String toString(int i) {
if (i == Integer.MIN_VALUE)
return "-2147483648"; // If integer is MinValue, the minimum value is returned as a string.
int size = (i < 0) ? stringSize(-i) + 1 : stringSize(i);
char[] buf = new char[size];
getChars(i, size, buf);
return new String(buf, true); // Creates a char array, assembles numbers, converts them to strings, and returns them.
}
I am trying to create an alias for a object variable in Java so that I can change one and have it affect the other. For example, in this snippet, I expect "b" to be printed out. Instead I get "a".
String s = new String("a");
String t = s;
t = new String("b");
System.out.println(s); // Prints "a".
I thought that non-primitive types in Java were able to be referenced and "tied" together like this.
No, it never works like that. Variables, fields etc. cannot be "bound" in Java.
Your variables can contain "a link to a value" in a variable, but you cannot have a "link to another variable".
This means that in your case s and t initially hold the link to the same value, but they don't know about each other. When you assign a new string to t, the value of the old string does not change (and s still references the old value). It's just the reference in `t
String is not good example, because this is immutable. You have to look at using object instances and object reference. One object instance could have multiple object references.
class Decorator {
private String str;
public Decorator(String str) {
this.str = str;
}
public void setStr(String str) {
this.str = str;
}
public String getStr() {
return str;
}
}
Decorator s = new Decorator("a"); // s - is a reference to Decorator
System.out.println(s.getStr()); // prints "a"
Decorator t = s; // t - is an another reference to existed Decorator (two references for one instance)
t.setStr("b");
// references s and t both point to one Decorator instance
System.out.println(s.getStr()); // prints "b"
System.out.println(t.getStr()); // prints "b"
You might be looking for something like this:
StringWrapper sw = new StringWrapper(new String("a"));
StringWrapper tw = sw;
tw.setS(new String("b"));
System.out.println(sw.getS()); // Prints b
class StringWrapper {
private String s;
public StringWrapper(String s) {
this.s = s;
}
private String getS() {
return s;
}
private void setS(String s) {
this.s = s;
}
}
(You can replace new StringWrapper(new String("a")) with new StringWrapper("a"). I added new String so it looks more like your example. Same goes for new String("b").)
Can someone please explain why it doesn't work? The error is at obj[0][0]=1;. It says that GPA can't be converted to int, same thing for String variable assignment s.
public class GPA {
public String s;
public int n;
public GPA[][] a;
//constructor
public GPA(GPA[][] a){}
public static void main(String[] args) {
GPA[][] obj=new GPA[2][2];
obj[0][0]=1; //error here
}
}
obj is an Array of GPA objects.
obj[0] = 1 means you are assigning the first element of that array to an intvalue. It should be an object of type GPA.
You can do it like
obj[0] = new GPA("John Doe", 6);
I would also recommend using Java convention, by making variables private and set() them by public methods like setter()s.
The question is changed which makes the answer irrelevant.
It won't work and gives you compile time error because GPA is class type and you are trying to assigning int value to it.
You have two options.
Option 1:
GPA[] obj = new GPA[4];
obj[0] = new GPA();
obj[0].n = 1;
Option 2:
You can make members of GPA private and use setters to set the value. Below is example.
public class GPA {
private String s;
private int n;
private GPA[] a;
public GPA() {}
public GPA(GPA[] a) {}
public String getS() {
return s;
}
public void setS(String s) {
this.s = s;
}
public int getN() {
return n;
}
public void setN(int n) {
this.n = n;
}
public GPA[] getA() {
return a;
}
public void setA(GPA[] a) {
this.a = a;
}
}
and then set using setter.
obj[0].setN(1);
It's not good programming practice to make your members public. It is always advised to use setters.
What you're actualy doing is trying to assign int and/or string to variable that is expecting object of GPA class.
Didn't you want to do
obj[0].n=1;
obj[0].s="text;"
For array of object you always have to create on object at that position first. otherwise you alway get a NullPointerException.
So what you need goes something like this
GPA[][] obj = new GPA[2][2];
obj[0][0] = new GPA();
obj[0][0].s="text";
obj[0][0].n=1;
...
and so on for every position there is.
Java Arrays are homogeneous(Javascript arrays are heterogeneous). That means you can only store the type of elements which you used while creating an Array.
ex: `int intArray[];` //We can store only int type elements(it also accepts Integer etc.. types but java converts to int then store it)
Now, apply the same rule to public GPA[] a; here a is an array of type GPA. So it accept only GPA type object.
That mean, you can store values like as below
a[0] = new GPA("nameHere", 6);
If I want to store either a string or an int, one at a time( I have
to make table of Student Name vs GPA) ,how do I do it?
One solution to this requirement is, assign a variable using constructor or setter method.
GPA[] obj = new GPA[2];
obj[0] = new GPA("first", 6); // here you need to create a new constructor
or
obj[1] = new GPA(); // Here default constructor will work and you need to have setter methods
obj[1].setName("second");
Hope this help...
How to return the two parameters in web method.?
I have tried these things,but the below code is returning only one parameter.
web method
public class GetTMSMargin
{
public String GetTMSMargin(String fd,String td)
{
return fd;
}
}
Can any one please mend this code and make me clear?
Thanks in advance!..
You can send array like this
public class GetTMSMargin
{
public String[] GetTMSMargin(String fd,String td)
{
//your code
String array[] = {fd, td};
return array;
}
}
You can return an array, set, map... and many other things that may contain any number of results (I prefer "result" to "parameter" as an indication of return variable).
BTW: If you are thinking about webservice here than you will need to serialise (JSON or something similar) your array/set/map...
If you want to return two values, I suggest you an ArrayList, or a table like Lucifer did.
public ArrayList <String> GetTMSMargin(String fd,String td)
{
ArrayList <String> theArray = new ArrayList <String>();
theArray.add(fd);
theArray.add(td);
return theArray;
}
You may need to read up a little more on Java. In Java a function can only return one value. If you need to return multiple values, then you will need to return either an Array of values (if they are all of the same type, a List etc count as an array for these purposes) or an Object with these values as its properties, e.g.:
class ReturnMultipleValues {
/**
* Returns an object containing the two Strings passed.
*/
public ComplexReturnValue getComplexReturnValue(String arg1, String arg2) {
ComplexReturnValue value = new ComplexReturnValue(arg1, arg2);
return value;
}
/**
* Value type which contains 2 strings
*/
public static class ComplexReturnValue {
private String arg1;
private String arg2;
public ComplexReturnValue(String arg1, String arg2) {
this.arg1 = arg1;
this.arg2 = arg2;
}
public String getArg1() {
return arg1;
}
public String getArg2() {
return arg2;
}
}
/**
* Main method just runs a quick example
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {
ReturnMultipleValues rmv = new ReturnMultipleValues();
ComplexReturnValue crv = rmv.getComplexReturnValue("Hello", "World");
crv.getArg1(); // Returns "Hello"
crv.getArg2(); // Returns "World"
}
}
Practically in any computer language you can not return more than one parameter from a function/method.
You might achieve it by returning an Array from function/method. In array you can store more than one value, so in return value you will get more than one value.
public String[] getMyValues ( String fd,String td )
{
String [] returnValues = new String { fd, td };
return returnValues;
}
As being android code you may also use another Class called ArrayList for returning multiple values.
however this is just a trick/logic to return more than one value, not a perfect solution.
Java is a 'pass by value' language, meaning that sending in a variable into a method, pointing the variable to a new object, does not effect the outer variable.
public void one() {
String s = "one";
two(s);
System.out.println(s);
}
public void two( String s ) {
s = "two";
}
Would write "one".
Is there a way to prevent this? Or what is the most common solution or pattern to actually change s to "two" inside the method?
Is not possible to prevent it.
You can emulate it with a generic wrapper like this:
class _<T>{
public T _;
public _(T t ) {
_ = t;
}
public String toString(){ return _.toString(); }
}
And then use it as you intended.
class GeneriWrapperDemo {
public static void main(String [] args ) {
_<String> one = new _<String>("One");
two( one );
System.out.println( one );
}
public static void two( _<String> s ) {
s._ = "two";
}
}
But looks ugly. I think the best would be to change the reference it self:
public String two( String a ) {
return "two";
}
And use it
String one = "one";
one = two( one );
:)
You can't pass-by-reference - at least not the variable itself. All parameters are passed by value. However, objects contain references - and are represented as references themselves. You can always change the insides of the object, and have the changes stick. Thus, send an array, or create a wrapper class, or make your own reference object:
class Ref<T> {
T obj;
public Ref(T value) {
this.obj = value;
}
public void set(T value) {
obj = value;
}
public T get() {
return obj;
}
}
As the others have said, String is not mutable anyway, so you're not actually changing the string here, but making the variable point the other way, so it does not really make that much sense not to simply return the new string.
If s were a mutable object, you could change its value (i.e. the value of its data members). And the member can be a String too. This doesn't work with a String parameter directly, as it is immutable, so the only way to "change" it is to direct the reference to a different object.
Create an object, which contains the string, then pass that into the method.
public class StringHolder {
public String s;
public StringHolder(String s) {
this.s = s;
}
}
Then the code would look like:
public void two(StringHolder sh) {
sh.s = "two";
}
StringHolder sh = new StringHolder("one");
two(sh);
System.out.println(sh.s);
Although, for the above example, you could just return the value you want:
public String two(String s) {
return "two";
}
String s = "one";
s = two(s);
System.out.println(s);
And for Strings, you can always use StringBuffer, which is mutable:
public void two(StringBuffer buf) {
buf.setLength(0);
buf.append("two");
}
You can't prevent Java from passing by value; that's the language semantics.
You can, one way or another, get around it, depending on what you want to do.
You can return a new value based on the parameter that's passed:
static String scramble(String s) {
return s.replaceAll("(.*) (.*)", "$2, $1");
}
// then later...
String s = "james bond";
s = scramble(s);
System.out.println(s); // prints "bond, james"
You can also pass something that is mutable:
static void scramble(StringBuilder sb) {
int p = sb.indexOf(" ");
sb.append(", ").append(sb.substring(0, p)).delete(0, p+1);
}
// then later...
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("james bond");
scramble(sb);
System.out.println(sb); // prints "bond, james"
Strings are immutable... otherwise, though, all you would have to do is call a method to operate on the same object and have that somehow change the string value.
I'm sure there are a number of Java classes that will do the job for you, but you could also roll your own simply by creating an encapsulating class with either a public field or a setter/getter. An example of the former is something like this:
public class EncapsulatedString
{
public String str;
public EncapsulatedString(String s)
{
str = s;
}
}
Create a wrapper that contains your object and change contents of the wrapper:
public class StringWrapper {
private String str;
public String getString() {
return str;
}
public String setString(String str){
this.str = str;
}
public String toString() {
return str;
}
}
public void one() {
StringWrapper s = new StringWrapper();
s.setString("one");
two(w);
// This will print "two"
System.out.println(s);
}
public void two( StringWrapper s ) {
s.setString("two");
}
One ugly solution that comes to my mind is to pass around a String array of length 1. It's not something I would encourage but if you feel that you want to do it...
1 public class One {
2
3 public static void main( String[] _ ) {
4 String[] s = {"one"};
5 two(s);
6 System.out.println(s[0]);
7 }
8
9 public static void two( String[] s ) {
10 s[0] = "two";
11 }
12 }
1-length array is a bit ugly, but perfectly working solution. No need to create surplus wrapper classes:
public void one() {
String[] s = new String[]{"one"};
two(s);
System.out.println(s[0]);
}
public void two(String[] s) {
s[0] = "two";
}
This pattern is especially useful when translating old (e.g. C) code where pass by reference has been extensively applied.
That said, returning a new, fresh value is always less confusing than mutating the "input" value.
Use StringBuffer, or StringBuilder, which are mutable.
Java is not a pass-by-value language. On the contrary - it is a pass-by-reference language. (passing-by-reference does not mean you can change the original "pointer" to point elsewhere like C++ allows).
The only things which are passed by value are primitives (int, long, char etc.)
Object references are always passed by reference - so if your Object is able to support change to its contents (e.g. via getter and setter methods) - it can be changed.
String specifically is immutable - meaning that its contents may never be changed. So for your specific question, if you want the String referred to by the local variable 's' to change you need to provide it with a reference to a new instance of a String object.
Example:
public void one()
{
String s = "one";
s = two(); // Here your local variable will point to a new instance of a String with the value "two"
System.out.println(s);
}
public String two()
{
return "two";
}
If you use objects other than String - you can define setter methods on them that will update their contents for you.