com.svincent.util
Class ReflectUtil

java.lang.Object
  |
  +--com.svincent.util.BaseObject
        |
        +--com.svincent.util.ReflectUtil

public class ReflectUtil

extends BaseObject

Minimizes the tedium of Java reflection.

Java reflection is an exciting technology which enables a whole new style of programming. It's particularly exciting when coupled with dynamically generated code, for langauge interpreters, etc.

Unfortunately, every time you do reflection, you're swamped with exceptions. SecurityExceptions, MethodNotFound exceptions, etc etc. It's enough to drive one batty. It's good to know various things happened, but most of the time, you just want to fail gracefully on all of them.

ReflectUtil is designed to minimize some of the horrors of reflectively accessing java objects, by repackaging some exceptions.

XXX current issue: ReflectException should be subclassed, so that various exceptions can be managed, if desired.

Method Summary

static void	callMain(java.lang.Class c, java.lang.String[] args) Calls the main() method on the given class.
static java.lang.Object	construct(java.lang.Class c, java.lang.Object[] args)
static java.lang.Object	construct(java.lang.String className, java.lang.Object[] args)
static java.lang.reflect.Method	getMethod(java.lang.Class clazz, java.lang.String name, java.lang.Class[] parmTypes) Return a method of 'c' with the given name and parameters.
static java.lang.String	getMethodSignature(java.lang.reflect.Method method) Return a human-readable method signature for the given method.
static java.lang.String	getMethodSignature(java.lang.String name, java.lang.Class[] parmTypes) Return a human-readable method signature for the method with the given name and parameters.
static java.lang.Object	invoke(java.lang.Object self, java.lang.reflect.Method method, java.lang.Object[] parms) Invokes the given method, wrapping exceptions up in ReflectExceptions for ease of consumption.

Methods inherited from class com.svincent.util.BaseObject

dump, dump, dumpToString, tag

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Method Detail

callMain

public static void callMain(java.lang.Class c,
                            java.lang.String[] args)
                     throws ReflectException

Calls the main() method on the given class.

construct

public static java.lang.Object construct(java.lang.String className,
                                         java.lang.Object[] args)
                                  throws ReflectException

construct

public static java.lang.Object construct(java.lang.Class c,
                                         java.lang.Object[] args)
                                  throws ReflectException

getMethod

public static java.lang.reflect.Method getMethod(java.lang.Class clazz,
                                                 java.lang.String name,
                                                 java.lang.Class[] parmTypes)
                                          throws ReflectException

Return a method of 'c' with the given name and parameters. Throw an exception if anything really bad happened.

invoke

public static java.lang.Object invoke(java.lang.Object self,
                                      java.lang.reflect.Method method,
                                      java.lang.Object[] parms)
                               throws ReflectException

Invokes the given method, wrapping exceptions up in ReflectExceptions for ease of consumption.

getMethodSignature

public static java.lang.String getMethodSignature(java.lang.String name,
                                                  java.lang.Class[] parmTypes)

Return a human-readable method signature for the method with the given name and parameters.

getMethodSignature

public static java.lang.String getMethodSignature(java.lang.reflect.Method method)

Return a human-readable method signature for the given method.