Field Detail

• JAVA_1_4

  public static final boolean JAVA_1_4

  A constant representing the Java version. This constant is true if the version is 1.4.

• JAVA_1_5

  public static final boolean JAVA_1_5

  A constant representing the Java version. This constant is true if the version is 1.5.

• VERSION

  public static final java.lang.String VERSION

  A String representing the flexdock version. This constant is a string.

  See Also:

  Constant Field Values

Method Detail

• getInt

  public static int getInt​(java.lang.String data)

  Returns an int value for the specified String. This method calls Integer.parseInt(String s) and returns the resulting int value. If any Exception is thrown, this method returns a value of 0.

  Parameters:

  data - a String containing the int representation to be parsed

  Returns:

  the integer value represented by the argument in decimal

  See Also:

  getInt(String, int), Integer.parseInt(java.lang.String)

• getInt

  public static int getInt​(java.lang.String data,
                           int defaultValue)

  Returns an int value for the specified String. This method calls Integer.parseInt(String s) and returns the resulting int value. If any Exception is thrown, this method returns the value supplied by the defaultValue parameter.

  Parameters:

  data - a String containing the int representation to be parsed

  defaultValue - the value to return if an Exception is encountered.

  Returns:

  the integer value represented by the argument in decimal

  See Also:

  Integer.parseInt(java.lang.String)

• getFloat

  public static float getFloat​(java.lang.String data,
                               float defaultValue)

  Returns a float value for the specified String. This method calls Float.parseFloat(String s) and returns the resulting float value. If any Exception is thrown by parseFloat, this method returns the value supplied by the defaultValue parameter.

  Parameters:

  data - a String containing the float representation to be parsed

  defaultValue - the value to return if an Exception is encountered on the underlying parse mechanism.

  Returns:

  the floating-point value represented by the argument in decimal

  See Also:

  Float.parseFloat(java.lang.String)

• isEmpty

  public static boolean isEmpty​(java.lang.String data)

  Returns true if the specified String is null or contains only whitespace. Otherwise, returns false. The whitespace check is performed by calling trim() and checking to see if the trimmed string length() is zero.

  Parameters:

  data - the String to check for non-whitespace content

  Returns:

  true if the specified String is null or contains only whitespace, false otherwise.

• getInstance

  public static java.lang.Object getInstance​(java.lang.String className)

  Returns an instance of the specified class name. If className is null, then this method returns a null reference.

  This method will try two different means of obtaining an instance of className. First, it will attempt to resolve the Class of className via Class.forName(String className). It will then use reflection to search for a method on the class named "getInstance()". If the method is found, then it is invoked and the object instance is returned.

  If there are any problems encountered while attempting to invoke getInstance() on the specified class, the Throwable is caught and this method dispatches to createInstance(String className, boolean failSilent) with an argument of false for failSilent. createInstance(String className, boolean failSilent) will attempt to invoke newInstance() on the Class for the specified class name. If any Throwable is encountered during this process, the value of false for failSilent will cause the stack trace to be printed to the System.err and a null reference will be returned.

  Parameters:

  className - the fully qualified name of the desired class.

  Returns:

  an instance of the specified class

  See Also:

  getInstance(String, boolean), createInstance(String, boolean), Class.forName(java.lang.String), Class.getMethod(java.lang.String, java.lang.Class[]), Method.invoke(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object[]), Class.newInstance()

• getInstance

  public static java.lang.Object getInstance​(java.lang.String className,
                                             boolean failSilent)

  Returns an instance of the specified class name. If className is null, then this method returns a null reference.

  This method will try two different means of obtaining an instance of className. First, it will attempt to resolve the Class of className via Class.forName(String className). It will then use reflection to search for a method on the class named "getInstance()". If the method is found, then it is invoked and the object instance is returned.

  If there are any problems encountered while attempting to invoke getInstance() on the specified class, the Throwable is caught and this method dispatches to createInstance(String className, boolean failSilent), passing the specified value for failSilent. createInstance(String className, boolean failSilent) will attempt to invoke newInstance() on the Class for the specified class name. If any Throwable is encountered during this process, the value of failSilent is checked to determine whether the stack stack trace should be printed to the System.err. A null reference will be returned if any problems are encountered.

  Parameters:

  className - the fully qualified name of the desired class.

  failSilent - true if the stack trace should not be printed to the System.err when a Throwable is caught, false otherwise.

  Returns:

  an instance of the specified class

  See Also:

  createInstance(String, boolean), Class.forName(java.lang.String), Class.getMethod(java.lang.String, java.lang.Class[]), Method.invoke(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object[]), Class.newInstance()

• createInstance

  public static java.lang.Object createInstance​(java.lang.String className)

  Creates and returns an instance of the specified class name using Class.newInstance(). If className is null, then this method returns a null reference. This dispatches to createInstance(String className, Class superType, boolean failSilent) with an argument of null for superType and false for failSilent.

  This method will attempt to resolve the Class of className via Class.forName(String className). No class assignability checkes are performed because this method uses a null superType.

  Once the desired class has been resolved, a new instance of it is created and returned by invoking its newInstance() method. If there are any problems encountered during this process, the value of false for failSilent will ensure the stack stack trace is be printed to the System.err. A null reference will be returned if any problems are encountered.

  Parameters:

  className - the fully qualified name of the desired class.

  Returns:

  an instance of the specified class

  See Also:

  createInstance(String, Class, boolean), Class.forName(java.lang.String), Class.newInstance()

• createInstance

  public static java.lang.Object createInstance​(java.lang.String className,
                                                boolean failSilent)

  Creates and returns an instance of the specified class name using Class.newInstance(). If className is null, then this method returns a null reference. The failSilent parameter will determine whether error stack traces should be reported to the System.err before this method returns null. This method dispatches to createInstance(String className, Class superType, boolean failSilent) with an argument of null for superType.

  This method will attempt to resolve the Class of className via Class.forName(String className). No class assignability checkes are performed because this method uses a null superType.

  Once the desired class has been resolved, a new instance of it is created and returned by invoking its newInstance() method. If there are any problems encountered during this process, the value of failSilent is checked to determine whether the stack stack trace should be printed to the System.err. A null reference will be returned if any problems are encountered.

  Parameters:

  className - the fully qualified name of the desired class.

  failSilent - true if the stack trace should not be printed to the System.err when a Throwable is caught, false otherwise.

  Returns:

  an instance of the specified class

  See Also:

  createInstance(String, Class, boolean), Class.forName(java.lang.String), Class.newInstance()

• createInstance

  public static java.lang.Object createInstance​(java.lang.String className,
                                                java.lang.Class superType)

  Creates and returns an instance of the specified class name using Class.newInstance(). If className is null, then this method returns a null reference. If superType is non-null, then this method will enforce polymorphic identity via Class.isAssignableFrom(Class cls). This method dispatches to createInstance(String className, Class superType, boolean failSilent) with an argument of false for failSilent.

  This method will attempt to resolve the Class of className via Class.forName(String className). If superType is non-null, then class identity is checked by calling superType.isAssignableFrom(c) to ensure the resolved class is an valid equivalent, descendent, or implementation of the specified className. If this check fails, then a ClassCastException is thrown and caught internally and this method returns null. If superType is null, then no assignability checks are performed on the resolved class.

  Once the desired class has been resolved, a new instance of it is created and returned by invoking its newInstance() method. If there are any problems encountered during this process, the value of false for failSilent will ensure the stack stack trace is be printed to the System.err. A null reference will be returned if any problems are encountered.

  Parameters:

  className - the fully qualified name of the desired class.

  superType - optional paramter used as a means of enforcing the inheritance hierarchy

  Returns:

  an instance of the specified class

  See Also:

  createInstance(String, Class, boolean), Class.forName(java.lang.String), Class.isAssignableFrom(java.lang.Class), Class.newInstance()

• createInstance

  public static java.lang.Object createInstance​(java.lang.String className,
                                                java.lang.Class superType,
                                                boolean failSilent)

  Creates and returns an instance of the specified class name using Class.newInstance(). If className is null, then this method returns a null reference. If superType is non-null, then this method will enforce polymorphic identity via Class.isAssignableFrom(Class cls). The failSilent parameter will determine whether error stack traces should be reported to the System.err before this method returns null.

  This method will attempt to resolve the Class of className via Class.forName(String className). If superType is non-null, then class identity is checked by calling superType.isAssignableFrom(c) to ensure the resolved class is an valid equivalent, descendent, or implementation of the specified className. If this check fails, then a ClassCastException is thrown and caught internally and this method returns null. If superType is null, then no assignability checks are performed on the resolved class.

  Once the desired class has been resolved, a new instance of it is created and returned by invoking its newInstance() method. If there are any problems encountered during this process, the value of failSilent is checked to determine whether the stack stack trace should be printed to the System.err. A null reference will be returned if any problems are encountered.

  Parameters:

  className - the fully qualified name of the desired class.

  superType - optional paramter used as a means of enforcing the inheritance hierarchy

  failSilent - true if the stack trace should not be printed to the System.err when a Throwable is caught, false otherwise.

  Returns:

  an instance of the specified class

  See Also:

  Class.forName(java.lang.String), Class.isAssignableFrom(java.lang.Class), Class.newInstance()

• isEqual

  public static boolean isEqual​(java.lang.Object obj1,
                                java.lang.Object obj2)

  Checks for equality between the two specified Objects. If both arguments are the same Object reference using an == relationship, then this method returns true. Failing that check, if either of the arguments is null, then the other must not be and this method returns false. Finally, if both arguments are non-null with different Object references, then this method returns the value of obj1.equals(obj2).

  This method is the exact opposite of isChanged(Object oldObj, Object newObj).

  Parameters:

  obj1 - the first Object to be checked for equality

  obj2 - the second Object to be checked for equality

  Returns:

  true if the Objects are equal, false otherwise.

  See Also:

  isChanged(Object, Object), Object.equals(java.lang.Object)

• isChanged

  public static boolean isChanged​(java.lang.Object oldObj,
                                  java.lang.Object newObj)

  Checks for inequality between the two specified Objects. If both arguments are the same Object reference using an == relationship, then this method returns false. Failing that check, if either of the arguments is null, then the other must not be and this method returns true. Finally, if both arguments are non-null with different Object references, then this method returns the opposite value of obj1.equals(obj2).

  This method is the exact opposite of isEqual(Object obj1, Object obj2).

  Parameters:

  oldObj - the first Object to be checked for inequality

  newObj - the second Object to be checked for inequality

  Returns:

  false if the Objects are equal, true otherwise.

  See Also:

  isEqual(Object, Object), Object.equals(java.lang.Object)

• sysTrue

  public static boolean sysTrue​(java.lang.String key)

  Deprecated.

  Use Boolean.getBoolean(String).
  Returns true if there is currently a System property with the specified key whose value is "true". If the System property does not exist, or the value is inequal to "true", this method returns false. This method returns false if the specified key parameter is null.

  Parameters:

  key - the System property to test.

  Returns:

  true if there is currently a System property with the specified key whose value is "true".

  See Also:

  System.getProperty(java.lang.String), String.equals(java.lang.Object)

• put

  public static void put​(java.util.Map map,
                         java.lang.Object key,
                         java.lang.Object value)

  Puts the supplied value into the specified Map using the specified key. This is a convenience method to automate null-checks. A value parameter of null is interpreted as a removal from the specified Map rather than an put operation.

  If either map or key are null then this method returns with no action taken. If value is null, then this method calls map.remove(key). Otherwise, this method calls map.put(key, value).

  Parameters:

  map - the Map whose contents is to be modified

  key - with which the specified value is to be associated.

  value - value to be associated with the specified key.

  See Also:

  Map.put(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object), Map.remove(java.lang.Object)

• setValue

  public static boolean setValue​(java.lang.Object obj,
                                 java.lang.String fieldName,
                                 java.lang.Object value)

  Returns the value of the specified fieldName within the specified Object. This is a convenience method for reflection hacks to retrieve the value of protected, private, or package-private field members while hiding the boilerplate reflection code within a single utility method call. This method will return true if the operation was successful and false if errors were encountered.

  This method calls obj.getClass() to retrieve the Class of the specified Object. It then retrieves the desired field by calling the classes' getDeclaredField(String name) method, passing the specified field name. If the field is deemed inaccessible via it's isAccessible() method, then it is made accessible by calling setAccessible(true). The field value is set by invoking the field's set(Object obj, Object value) method and passing the original Object and value parameter as arguments. Before returning, the field's accessibility is reset to its original state.

  If either obj or fieldName are null, then this method returns false.

  It should be understood that this method will not function properly for inaccessible fields in the presence of a SecurityManager. Nor will it function properly for non-existent fields (if a field called fieldName does not exist on the class). All Throwables encountered by this method will be caught and eaten and the method will return false. This works under the assumption that the operation might likely fail because the method itself is, in reality, a convenience hack. Therefore, specifics of any generated errors on the call stack are discarded and only the final outcome (true/false of the operation is deemed relevant. If call stack data is required within the application for any thrown exceptions, then this method should not be used.}

  Parameters:

  obj - the object for which the represented field's value is to be modified

  fieldName - the name of the field to be set

  value - the new value for the field of obj being modified

  See Also:

  Object.getClass(), Class.getDeclaredField(java.lang.String), AccessibleObject.isAccessible(), Field.setAccessible(boolean), Field.set(Object, Object)