toString

[Waarten]

Hi i must write (school) a toString method which prints a formula

The code in the public static void main:

Formula formula = new Exof (new False(), new Not(new And(new Or(new True(), new Atom(1)), new Ifthen(new Atom(2), new Ifonlythen(new Atom(2), new True())))));
System.out.println(formula);

The string output should be (in this case) something like:
0^¬((1∨A)∧(B→(B↔1)))

I think i need to make the toString method recursive, but don't know how to do this. Can someone please help me?

[Tolls]

Since it's formula that you are writing the toString() for, it might be an idea to show us what that looks like as the structure of that class will pretty much determine how you need to write this.

[Waarten]

For example the Exof class at the moment:

class Exof extends Code{
    Formule veld1;
    Formule veld2;
	public Exof(Formule exof1, Formule exof2) {
        veld1 = exof1;
        veld2 = exof2;
	}
}

[Tolls]

You know better than us how these things fit together.
What's a Formule?
Does that have it's own toString?
Can you use that toString()?
If not, then how does the above map to the code sample you gave above?

[Waarten]

Got it working with:

 public String toString() {
	StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();
    String NEW_LINE = System.getProperty("line.separator");
	// formule weergeven
	// 1 Waar
	if (this instanceof Waar) {
		result.append("T");
	}
	// 2 Onwaar
	else if (this instanceof Onwaar) {
		result.append("F");
	}
	// 3 Exof
	else if (this instanceof Exof) {
		// exof formule afdrukken ^
		Formule veld1 = Exof.veld1;
		Formule veld2 = Exof.veld2;
		result.append("(" + veld1 + " ^ " + veld2 + ")");
	}
	// 4 Of
	else if (this instanceof Of) {
		// of formule afdrukken |
		Formule veld1 = Of.veld1;
		Formule veld2 = Of.veld2;
		result.append("(" + veld1 + " | " + veld2 + ")");	
	}
	// 5 En
	else if (this instanceof En) {
		// en formule afdrukken &
		Formule veld1 = En.veld1;
		Formule veld2 = En.veld2;
		result.append("(" + veld1 + " & " + veld2 + ")");	
	}
	// 6 Alsdan
	else if (this instanceof Alsdan) {
		// alsdan formule afdrukken ->
		Formule veld1 = Alsdan.veld1;
		Formule veld2 = Alsdan.veld2;
		result.append("(" + veld1 + " -> " + veld2 + ")");	
	}
	// 7 Desda
	else if (this instanceof Desda) {
		// desda formule afdrukken <->
		Formule veld1 = Desda.veld1;
		Formule veld2 = Desda.veld2;
		result.append("(" + veld1 + " <-> " + veld2 + ")");	
	}
	// 8 Atoom
	else if (this instanceof Atoom) {
		// atoom afdrukken
		int atoom = Atoom.atoom;
		result.append("p" + atoom);
	}
	// 9 Niet
	else if (this instanceof Niet) {
		// negatie afdrukken ~
		Formule veld1 = Niet.veld1;
		result.append("~(" + veld1 + ")");	
	}
	return result.toString();
  }

gives output:
(F ^ ~(((T | p2) & (p2 -> (p2 <-> T)))))

only problem is with Atoom: the first p2 should be p1 (because it's new Atoom(1)), which piece of code should i change to get the first p2 to be p2?

Atoom.java:

class Atoom extends Code{
	static int atoom;
	
	public Atoom(int x) {
		atoom = x;
	}
}

[Tolls]

Um, that's a lot of "instanceof" all called on "this".
Surely it would be preferable to supply a toString for each of those different subclasses?
That would remove all of that stuff and stick the toString logic where it belongs.

[Waarten]

Um, that's a lot of "instanceof" all called on "this".
Surely it would be preferable to supply a toString for each of those different subclasses?
That would remove all of that stuff and stick the toString logic where it belongs.

What do you mean? Can you give me an example?

[Tolls]

You have a parent class:

public class Parent {
}

This has children that each define their own toString:

public class Child1 {
    public String toString() {
        return "This is a Child1";
    }
}
...
public class Child2 {
    public String toString() {
        return "This is a Child2";
    }
}

So when you call the toString() for that subclass it will use the correct toString():

void someMethod() {
    Parent p = new Child1();
    System.out.println(p.toString());  // This will print "This is a Child1"
    Parent p2 = new Child2();
    System.out.println(p2.toString());  // This will print "This is a Child2"
}

No "instanceof" involved.

[Waarten]

thank you.

got 1 more question:

i got a class Exof:

class Exof extends Code{
    Formule veld1;
    Formule veld2;
	
    public Exof(Formule exof1, Formule exof2) {
        veld1 = exof1;
        veld2 = exof2;
    }
}

and a class Niet:
class Niet extends Code

{
    Formule veld1;
	
    public Niet(Formule niet) {
        veld1=niet;
    }
}

If i want to use the exof1 and exof2 from Exof in a new method in Niet, when veld1.getClass() == Exof.class, how do i do this?

[Tolls]

Pass the Exof object into the Niet method that needs it?
It's a pretty vague question.

[Waarten]

Pass the Exof object into the Niet method that needs it?
It's a pretty vague question.

if i have this method in Niet:

public Formule herbrandNormaalvorm() {
		Formule formule;
		if (veld1.getClass() == Exof.class) {
			veld1 = exof1;
			Formule veld2 = exof2;
                        formule = new En(veld1,veld2);
               }
}

this wont work because exof1 and exof2 are not given in Niet. So how can I use the exof1 and exof2 from a Exof object in the method above?

Hope this is less vague.

[Tolls]

WHere is the Exof object that you want to get this data from?