CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javareflection
csga5000
csga5000

Reputation: 4151

Giving fields values without stating the names of the fields

My program has a class that has a large number of fields. I need to be able to create a new instance of this class from two previously existing instances. It would randomly choose which fields it gets from which of the two previous instances.

Obviously I could just do a bunch of these:

if(random.nextBoolean())
    this.value = a.value;
else:
    this.value = b.value;

However, I have always been intrigued by some of the methods found in ClassName.class. I have tried researching this before but, I never had any luck. So let me show you what I would like to do:

for(int i = 0; i < Specimen.class.getDeclaredFields().length; i++){
if(random.nextBoolean())
    this.fields[i] = a.fields[i];
else
    this.fields[i] = b.fields[i];

It is my understanding that this is not possible with reflection, is there another way?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 69

Answers (1)

MadProgrammer
MadProgrammer

Reputation: 347314

Field holds more then just the value of the field.

To get the value of the field, you need to use one of the set/get methods. For example.

if(random.nextBoolean())
    this.fields[i].set(a.fields[i].get());
else
    this.fields[i].set(b.fields[i].get());

Upvotes: 1

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