OOP Question re. private variables and extending classes

[ImplicitCharm]

Hi All,

Perhaps this is a silly question, but here goes:
I'm working with a class (let's call it Class C) from a library that I'm importing in. C has many variables that are public, but there's one that's private in there (Widget W).

My issue is that Widget W is initialized in a certain way that I'm not fond of, and this is causing issues for me. I'd ideally like a version of Class C exactly as it is except for that one line where Widget W is initialized to be dictated by me instead.

What's the best way for me to do this? Can I do it at all, given that W is private?

Thanks!

[Tolls]

It's private.
The author of C didn't want anyone mucking about with W directly, hence making it private. You run the risk of breaking something should you manage to get around this.

[ImplicitCharm]

So my best bet would be to... just create a new class C from scratch?

[Tolls]

So my best bet would be to... just create a new class C from scratch?

Well, if C doesn't actually do what you want it to do then that would be the solution. But make sure that C doesn't in fact do what you want it to, and you haven't simply misunderstood something...that is you're not trying to shoehorn it into whatever solution you've come up with, wheras youcould still use it if you modified your solution.

[erb26]

I am a beginning programmer that has a contructor already built. The problem is that the constructor has nothing to construct. There is no seperate class to call, and I cannot figure out how to link the two together. Any feedback?

[fxRichard]

Or you can use reflection and change it to what you want, assume object c and private variable w....for example:

  import java.lang.reflect.*;
  ...
  Object c = someObjectYouCreated;
  Field w = c.getClass().getDeclaredField("w");  //where "w" = the actual field name
  w.setAccessible(true);
  w.set(c,"mynewValue");
  ...

This is just an example and assumes the Field w is a string when it sets it with a string value on the last line however it should be enough to get you started.

[Tolls]

Or you can use reflection and change it to what you want, assume object c and private variable w....for example:

  import java.lang.reflect.*;
  ...
  Object c = someObjectYouCreated;
  Field w = c.getClass().getDeclaredField("w");  //where "w" = the actual field name
  w.setAccessible(true);
  w.set(c,"mynewValue");
  ...

This is just an example and assumes the Field w is a string when it sets it with a string value on the last line however it should be enough to get you started.

You could, however reflection shouldn't be used to get around a percieved problem with a class. That would be bad programming, frankly.

[fxRichard]

Correct, my point is if you did not write the class and you absolutely need to change the value of W besides decompiling the code reflection is the most straight forward way.