Pass multiple object types to one function

[desmo]

Hi all,

I have a requirement where I have to pass a number of objects to a function and process them by calling a common method, getComments().

I would like to pass any of a number of types of objects, call the getComments() method, parse, then update the original object.

You can think of something similar like passing objects like:

cars, trucks, motorcycles and calling a method like getCurrentValue() (or something similar).

Is this possible?

Thanks much in advance!

M

[Zack]

If you have a class Car, a class Truck, and a class Motorcycle, they could all extend a Vehicle class which contains the methods you want. Each of the subclasses can then override those methods and the Vehicle object can be safely passed to the method.

[DarrylBurke]

Or you could have all the classes implement an interface (for discussion's sake let's call it Commentable) and the method (not function, Java doesn't have functions) wold accept a Commentable argument.

call the getComments() method, parse, then update the original object.

A getComments method shouldn't update anything. By convention, getXxx methods are accessors. If the purpose of the method is to update the comments, it should be named updateComments. If simply to set a new value for the comments field, then setComments.

And if the method obtains all input via its parameter(s) and doesn't depend on the state of the current object, it should probably be static.

db

edit Oh, I think I misread that. The method that does the updating isn't getComments.

[desmo]

Thanks much for your replies - very helpful!