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Java Reflection getting name of concrete class/subclass that implements an abstract class.

Can I use reflection to get the name of the class that is implementing an abstract class in a situation like this:

MyAbstractClass c = new MyConcreteImpl();
Use reflection on c to get "MyConcreteImpl()".
Or better yet, use reflection to get a concrete version of MyConcreteImpl() that I could pass onto another function as an argument, so it would be the same as:

MyConcreteImpl c = new MyConcreteImpl();
myfunction(c)

In other words, to start with:
MyAbstractClass c = new MyConcreteImpl();

but before I get to "myfunction", use reflection to somehow find out the subclass that is being used and send this off to myfunction.

:-) Did I confuse anybody?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Mick Barry

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Mick Barry

getClass() retruns the class the the instanbce, not the class of the variable declaration.

mukundha_expert

>>but before I get to "myfunction", use reflection to somehow find out the subclass that is being used and send this >>off to myfunction.

you can do that either using reflection or using instanceof operator

like,

if ( c instanceof MyConcreteImpl )
call the method,

or if ( c.getClass().getName().equals ( "MyConcreteImpl" )

call the method,

i would prefer the instanceof operator

Ajay-Singh

use getClass() to figure out the class of variable c (as suggested by objects). So, in the cases where c is MyConcreteImpl, it would return class indicating MyConcreteImpl