Bad Code method

[manole]

Contained in the provided workspace is CodeTestExerciseBadCode, in this class is a method called readFile().

The instructions for this problem are as follows:

1. Please list your observations about this class, including bugs, poor programming, inefficiencies, etc...
2. Provide an alternate implementation that addresses your observations above, please call the method readFileFixed().

package codeTest;

import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileReader;


public class CodeTestExerciseBadCode {

	public CodeTestExerciseBadCode(){
		
	}
	/**
	 * @param args
	 */
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		CodeTestExerciseBadCode part2 = new CodeTestExerciseBadCode();
		System.out.println(part2.readFile());		
	}

	public String readFile(){
		File f = null;
		FileReader fr = null;
		StringBuffer content = null;
		try{
			f = new File("c:/samplefile.txt");
			fr = new FileReader(f);
			
			int c;			
			while((c = fr.read()) != -1){				
				if(content == null){
					content = new StringBuffer();
				}
				
				content.append((char)c);
			}
			
			fr.close();			
		}
		catch (Exception e) {
			throw new RuntimeException("An error occured reading your file");
		}		
		
		return content.toString();
	}
}

I just can't figure out what is wrong with it! Help please!!
Thank you!

[JosAH]

1) What happens if the actual reading from the FileReader throws an IOException? Your FileReader stays open.
2) What happens if the file is empty? The StringBuffer content will still be null after the loop.
3) A StringBuilder is a bit faster than a StringBuffer.
4) You don't need a File object to open a FileReader.
5) You're not passing back what actually went wrong while attempting to read the file.
6) Reading entire lines is much faster than reading single characters.

kind regards,

Jos

[KevinWorkman]

So what you're saying is that you want us to do your homework for you? How much are you paying?

[Tolls]

Jos is getting soft in his moderatordom...:)

[JosAH]

Jos is getting soft in his moderatordom...:)

I showed the true me: a cute, sweet, little puppy. It must be the weather: it is great out here; I've been working in my garden all day (in front of my laptop, sitting at my picknick table); the fridge in the barn is full of Grolsch and I have enough tobacco. Life is good for once ;-)

kind regards,

Jos

[Tolls]

I showed the true me: a cute, sweet, little puppy.

Who are you and what have you done with the real Jos?

[manole]

How else should we supose to learn if not by asking questions?
What a lovely bunch of ppl us r ;)
tks anyway

[Ciwan]

Hi Manole

The people here are helpful, but you must make it as easy as possible for them to help you.

You can do that by stating Exactly what your issue is. In my opinion it is no good just pasting some code, and asking what's wrong with it.

Use the Debugger, find out where your code is going wrong. If you have found out some unexpected behaviour in a certain place in your code, and you're not sure why it is happening. Then ask here. I guarantee you, you'll get some help that way.

Advice from one n00b to another

[JosAH]

Who are you and what have you done with the real Jos?

I'm the good side of Jos; I put away that grumpy old Jos for the day because the weather is so nice today! and ... Let me out of here you moron! And don't you dare to touch my supply of Grolsch! Where are my rotating knives? I want my tobacco!

not so kind regards,

Jos ;-)

[KevinWorkman]

In my opinion it is no good just pasting some code, and asking what's wrong with it.

Especially when the entire point of the assignment was to look through the code and list what's wrong with it.

Looks like somebody owes Jos some money (or whatever payment he takes (I have a feeling I know what he'll ask for)).

[Jodokus]

Jos would be a wonderful CodeTestExerciseBadCode.

[JosAH]

Jos would be a wonderful CodeTestExerciseBadCode.

I'd rather be a GrolschAndStrongTobaccoSink object ...

kind regards,

Jos

[Jodokus]

Yes, I didn't become what I wished for either