How to use enums to assign a flag to an object

Question

I am creating a boardgame in java, and I'm trying to write a method that flags a chosen object (object represents a Tile on the board) by the user during the game. The method is within a class that sets a single Tile's value and position on the board.

I think using enum types would be a good idea but I am not sure exactly how to implement this. Within my class I have methods that get a Tile's position(row, column) on the grid, and the letter of which it represents.

public class Tile {

  private final String letter; //holds the letter value of the tile
  private final int row;       //holds tile row index
  private final int column;

  public Tile(String l, int r, int c) {
    this.letter = l;           
    this.row = r;
    this.column = c;
  }

  //setter&getter methods 

  public String toString() {
    return this.getLetter()+" "+ this.getRow() +
         "," + this.getColumn();
  }

So within this class as well, I want to write a method that flags whether or not a tile object is chosen... I was thinking that if the toString method returns a statement, then that can be used to show that the tile has been chosen. Or... how should I go about this. This is what I have so far:

public enum Status {CHOSEN, NOTCHOSEN};

public static void tileStatus(Status stat){
  switch(stat) {
    case CHOSEN: //something
       break;
    case NOTCHOSEN: //something
       break;
  }
}

Answer 1

Make enum as member variable of class and method to the enum.

like this as bellow:-

package com.robo.lab;

public class Tile {

    private final String letter; // holds the letter value of the tile
    private final int row; // holds tile row index
    private final int column;
    private Status status;

    public Tile(String l, int r, int c,Status status) {
        this.letter = l;
        this.row = r;
        this.column = c;
        this.status=status;
    }

    // setter&getter methods

    public Status getStatus() {
        return status;
    }

    public void setStatus(Status status) {
        this.status = status;
    }

    public String toString() {
        return this.getLetter() + " " + this.getRow() + "," + this.getColumn()+","+this.getStatus();
    }

    public String getLetter() {
        return letter;
    }

    public int getRow() {
        return row;
    }

    public int getColumn() {
        return column;
    }
}


package com.robo.lab;

public enum Status {
    CHOSEN, NOTCHOSEN;

    public static void tileStatus(Status stat) {
        switch (stat) {
        case CHOSEN: // something
            break;
        case NOTCHOSEN: // something
            break;
        }
    }
}


package com.robo.lab;

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub

        Tile obj1= new Tile("AUser", 1, 1,Status.CHOSEN);
        System.out.println(obj1.toString());
        Tile obj2= new Tile("BUser", 1, 1,Status.NOTCHOSEN);
        System.out.println(obj2.toString());

    }

}

Answer 2

Adding a boolean to the Tile may help you with the state. Since there are only two possible states (chosen, not chosen), a boolean may make more sense. Also don't add getters and setters by default. Only when you need them. Refer to "tell don't ask principle"

public class Tile {

  private final String letter; //holds the letter value of the tile
  private final int row;       //holds tile row index
  private final int column;
  private boolean isTileFlagged;

  public Tile(String l, int r, int c) {
    this.letter = l;           
    this.row = r;
    this.column = c;
    isTileFlagged = false; // May be false to being with
  }

 // add getters/setters only when necessary

  public void toggleFlaggedState(){
      isTileFlagged = !isTileFlagged;
  }

  public String toString() {
    return this.getLetter()+" "+ this.getRow() +
         "," + this.getColumn();
  }

 // add hashcode, equals if necessary

Also, if the enum is necessary, it could be an inner state of Tile class, as its independent existence may not make sense.

Answer 3

you can declare that enum is instance member of Tile class

public class Tile {

  private final String letter; //holds the letter value of the tile
  private final int row;       //holds tile row index
  private final int column;
  private Status flag; // use getter and setter to set flag on using Status enum

  public Tile(String l, int r, int c) {
    this.letter = l;           
    this.row = r;
    this.column = c;
  }

  //setter&getter methods 

  public String toString() {
    return this.getLetter()+" "+ this.getRow() +
         "," + this.getColumn();
  }