java.util.List method-Object[] toArray(Object[] a)returns same array?

[kathir je]

Hi All,

I like to know when to use the following java.util.List method

Object[] toArray(Object[] a)

I was very much confused. The return type is object array and the parameter is object array. then what is the difference. can anyone explain this in detail.

for example if i pass a string array i am going to get the same string array as return then what is the use???

Thanks,
J.Kathir

[Campbell Ritchie]

Welcome to the Ranch.

Are you still using J1.4? You would do better to update to J2SE5.0, which largely dispenses with Objects in Collections and Lists.

Please have a look at the toArray() method in the java.util.List interface. Read very carefully what it takes as parameters. And what its return type is.
The parameter is not the source of the information at all.

[Joanne Neal]

Originally posted by kathir je:

for example if i pass a string array i am going to get the same string array as return then what is the use???

You pass an empty string array - you get back an array (not necessarily the same one) populated with all the strings from the List. That sounds quite useful to me.