Question

Type safeing my class.

Asked by: PaulCaswell

Hi All,

I've put together a class that helps me manipulate database tables quite succinctly and it works quite well. See the <unsafe> code below ...

Note that I have cut down the code for posting purposes to the point where it won't actually work but I hope it demonstrates my problem.

I am now trying to make it type safe and I'm having difficulties typeing the EnumSets. See SafeChangeTable and SafeTable.

In particular I am trying to remove the use of EnumSet. My first attempt was the obvious:

  public String updateQuery ( EnumSet<Column> key, Column[] columns ) {

but this gives me the error:

type parameter Column is not within its bound

A bit of research found one method:

  public String updateQuery (EnumSet<? extends Enum<Column>> key, Column[] columns ) {

which removes the error but then when I try:

  public String updateQuery (EnumSet<? extends Enum<Column>> key) {
    // If columns not supplied, assume all columns.
    return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
  }

I get the error:

cannot find symbol; symbol  : method updateQuery(java.util.EnumSet<? extends java.lang.Enum<Column>>,Column[]), location: class SafeTable<Column>

Is EnumSet<? extends Enum<Column>> the right way of doing this? If so, how do I avoid the second error?

Thanks in advance.

Paul

// .... <Unsafe version using Enum> ...
 
public class ChangeTable extends Table {
  static final Map<Enum,Field.Type> columnTypes = new HashMap<Enum,Field.Type>();
  
  enum Column {
      Change(Field.Type.String),
      Date(Field.Type.Long);
 
      // Keep track of the column types.
      Column(Field.Type type) {
        columnTypes.put(this, type);
      }
  };
  
  public ChangeTable () {
    super("ChangeTable", Column.values(), columnTypes);
  }
}
 
public class Table {
  final String tableName;
  final Enum[] columns;
  final Map<Enum,Field.Type> types;
  Map<Enum,Object> values = new HashMap<Enum,Object>();
  
  protected Table (String tableName, Enum [] columns, Map<Enum,Field.Type> types) {
    this.tableName = tableName;
    this.columns = columns;
    this.types = types;
  }
 
  // Returns a query that will update all records matching the key.
  private String updateQuery ( EnumSet key, Enum[] columns ) {
    String query = "UPDATE "+tableName+" SET ";
    // SET - All update columns not in key.
    for ( int i = 0; i < columns.length; i++ ) {
      Enum col = columns[i];
      // Not key column.
      if ( !key.contains(col) ) {
        // Add field to query.
        query += col.name() + " = " + values.get(col).toString();
      }
    }
    // WHERE All columns in key.
    query += " WHERE " + keyValues(key);
    return query;
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet key) {
    // If columns not supplied, assume all columns.
    return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet key, EnumSet updateColumns) {
    // Allow an EnumSet of Columns to update.
    return updateQuery(key, (Enum[]) updateColumns.toArray() );
  }
 
  private String keyValues ( EnumSet key ) {
    String keyValues = "";
    for ( Iterator i = key.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {
      // Pull out the column.
      Enum col = (Enum)i.next();
      String val = values.get( col ).toString();
      keyValues += col.name() + " = " + val;
    }
    return keyValues;
  }
 
}
 
public class Field {
  
  enum Type {
    String,
    Long;
  }
  
  public Field () {
  }
}
 
// .... <Attempt at safe version, not using Enum but still using EnumSet> ... 
 
public class SafeChangeTable extends SafeTable<SafeChangeTable.Column> {
  static final Map<Column,Field.Type> columnTypes = new HashMap<Column,Field.Type>();
 
  enum Column {
      Change(Field.Type.String),
      Date(Field.Type.Long);
 
      // Keep track of the column types.
      Column(Field.Type type) {
        columnTypes.put(this, type);
      }
  };
 
  public SafeChangeTable () {
    super("ChangeTable", Column.values(), columnTypes);
  }
}
 
public class SafeTable<Column extends Enum> {
  final String tableName;
  final Column[] columns;
  final Map<Column,Field.Type> types;
  Map<Column,Object> values = new HashMap<Column,Object>();
 
  protected SafeTable (String tableName, Column [] columns, Map<Column,Field.Type> types) {
    this.tableName = tableName;
    this.columns = columns;
    this.types = types;
  }
 
  public String updateQuery ( EnumSet key, Column[] columns ) {
    String query = "UPDATE "+tableName+" SET ";
    // SET - All update columns not in key.
    for ( int i = 0; i < columns.length; i++ ) {
      Column col = columns[i];
      // Not key column.
      if ( !key.contains(col) ) {
        // Add field to query.
        query += col.name() + " = " + values.get(col);
      }
    }
    // WHERE All columns in key.
    query += " WHERE " + keyValues(key);
    return query;
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet key) {
    // If columns not supplied, assume all columns.
    return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet key, EnumSet updateColumns) {
    // Allow an EnumSet of Columns to update.
    return updateQuery(key, (Column[]) updateColumns.toArray() );
  }
 
  private String keyValues ( EnumSet key ) {
    String keyValues = "";
    for ( Iterator i = key.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {
      // Pull out the column.
      Enum col = (Enum)i.next();
      String val = values.get( col ).toString();
      keyValues += col.name() + " = " + val;
    }
    return keyValues;
  }
 
}

                                  
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Asked On
2009-07-18 at 08:23:42ID24581237
Tags

Java

,

EnumSet

,

Generics

Topic

Java Programming Language

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
23

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Answers

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 09:18:52ID: 24886499

Don't you mean something like this?

    public String updateQuery (EnumSet<? extends Column> key, Column[] columns) {
        return null;
    }   
 
    public String updateQuery (EnumSet<? extends Column> key) {
        // If columns not supplied, assume all columns.
        return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
    }

                                              
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by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 10:40:18ID: 24886697

I think you are right but it still does not work.

>>        return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );

I get:

cannot find symbol; symbol  : method updateQuery(java.util.EnumSet<? extends Column>,Column[]), location: class SafeTable<Column> at line 21 (21:14)

Which stumps me because that is exactly the signature of the method.

Paul

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 10:49:53ID: 24886715

Please post your current exact code

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 10:55:14ID: 24886732

Exact code enclosed.

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 11:10:56ID: 24886781

>>location: class SafeTable<Column> at line 21 (21:14)

That strikes me as a surprisingly low line number for the class you posted. Are you sure you're compiling the right source?

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 11:16:28ID: 24886801

Now i'm certain - i've just compiled all your source without error ;-)

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 11:38:46ID: 24886854

What IDE are you using? I'm using JBuilder 2006.

I'll try it with NetBeans but I need it to work in JBuilder. I'd better make contact with Borland.

P.S. With the source I uploaded I get:

"SafeTable.java": cannot find symbol; symbol  : method updateQuery(java.util.EnumSet<? extends Column>,Column[]), location: class SafeTable<Column> at line 33, column 14

The error I posted earlier was with your code pasted in above mine with the method names changed.

Paul

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 11:43:25ID: 24886868

BTW: Does EnumSet<Column> work for you?

Paul

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 11:59:09ID: 24886906

>>What IDE are you using? I'm using JBuilder 2006.

I'm compiling at the command line.

Whatever IDE you use, you must ensure you know where your sources actually are as well as be sure that they are where your IDE expects to find them.

You must also distinguish between compile-time and runtime errors. I suspect that your last one could be a runtime error(?)

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 12:02:44ID: 24886918

Try doing a clean then build

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 12:10:45ID: 24886940

Its definitely compile-time. I've done a clean/rebuild and even a quit/restart of JBuilder which sometimes clears obscure issues.

I'm downloading the latest JDK1.5 in case that helps. I currently have 1.5.0_03-b07.

Paul

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 12:34:57ID: 24887018

Now using 1.5.0_19-b02.

I've switched JBuilder to using javac rather than its own built-in compiler and now the error message reads:

"SafeTable.java": C:\Documents and Settings\Paul\jbproject\test\src\SafeTable.java:33: cannot find symbol at line 33, column 0
symbol  : method updateQuery(java.util.EnumSet<capture of ? extends Column>,Column[])
location: class SafeTable<Column>
   return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
            ^

What JDK are you compiling against?

Paul

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 12:45:13ID: 24887045

Please run the following at the command line, and paste what you see in the code snippet window:

copy "C:\Documents and Settings\Paul\jbproject\test\src\SafeTable.java" "%TEMP%" && notepad "%TEMP%\SafeTable.java"

                                              
1:

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by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 12:46:29ID: 24887049

>>in the code snippet window
==
into the code snippet window

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 13:19:46ID: 24887145

Done

import java.util.*;
 
public class SafeTable<Column extends Enum> {
  final String tableName;
  final Column[] columns;
  final Map<Column,Field.Type> types;
  Map<Column,Object> values = new HashMap<Column,Object>();
 
  protected SafeTable (String tableName, Column [] columns, Map<Column,Field.Type> types) {
    this.tableName = tableName;
    this.columns = columns;
    this.types = types;
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet<? extends Column> key, Column[] columns ) {
    String query = "UPDATE "+tableName+" SET ";
    // SET - All update columns not in key.
    for ( int i = 0; i < columns.length; i++ ) {
      Column col = columns[i];
      // Not key column.
      if ( !key.contains(col) ) {
	// Add field to query.
	query += col.name() + " = " + values.get(col);
      }
    }
    // WHERE All columns in key.
    query += " WHERE " + keyValues(key);
    return query;
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet<? extends Column> key) {
    // If columns not supplied, assume all columns.
    return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
  }
 
  public String updateQuery (EnumSet key, EnumSet updateColumns) {
    // Allow an EnumSet of Columns to update.
    return updateQuery(key, (Column[]) updateColumns.toArray() );
  }
 
  private String keyValues ( EnumSet key ) {
    String keyValues = "";
    for ( Iterator i = key.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {
      // Pull out the column.
      Enum col = (Enum)i.next();
      String val = values.get( col ).toString();
      keyValues += col.name() + " = " + val;
    }
    return keyValues;
  }
 
}
                                              
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by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 13:26:45ID: 24887177

I've done a bit of Googling on <capture of ? extends ...> and it looks like it actually should not match <? extends ...> but I can't work out why or how to get the problem to go away.

Paul

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 13:49:08ID: 24887295

Yes, It's a compiler thing. The error occurs for me with 1.5 but not 1,6

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 15:17:28ID: 24887530

Thanks.

Can you think of any other way around this? Perhaps an alternative to the <? extends Column> thing?

This seems to be accepted but it is really messy:

public class SafeTable<Column extends Enum, KeySet extends EnumSet<? extends Column>> {

...

 public String updateQuery (KeySet key) {
   // If columns not supplied, assume all columns.
   return ( updateQuery(key, columns) );
 }

 public String updateQuery (KeySet key, EnumSet updateColumns) {
   // Allow an EnumSet of Columns to update.
   return updateQuery(key, (Column[]) updateColumns.toArray() );
 }

 private String keyValues ( EnumSet key ) {

...

Thanks for all your help.

Paul

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 15:31:26ID: 24887560

No it doesn't!!!

Now I get:

  private String keyValues ( KeySet key ) {
    String keyValues = "";
    for ( Iterator<Column> i = key.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {

"SafeTable.java": incompatible types; found   : java.util.Iterator<capture of ? extends Column>, required: java.util.Iterator<Column> at line 44, column 36

Makes you wonder whether it is really worth the hassle making your classes typesafe.

Paul

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 15:41:55ID: 24887591

Take the easy way out - upgrade to 1.6 ;-)

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-18 at 15:44:42ID: 24887604


I see what my boss says ;D

 

by: CEHJPosted on 2009-07-18 at 15:46:07ID: 24887612

:-)

 

by: PaulCaswellPosted on 2009-07-19 at 00:56:03ID: 24888598

Hi CEHJ,

I woke up this morning with the answer!!

The problem is that an EnumSet, although abstract, is a concrete class. I was attempting to make use of a concrete collection of a generic class.

The answer is to use Set<Column> instead of trying to use EnumSet<Column> or EnumSet<? extends Column>. I am therefore actually quite surprised that Java 6 is happy with EnumSet<Column>.

I still think Java 6 is a good move. :D

Paul


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