How to detect if an object is an array

[Mark Mescher]

Hi,
if I have e.g. a hashmap is there a possibility to check if the Object behind a specific name is an array?
In my software a HashMap can also contain Stringobjects and Stringarrays so I have a problem when using
String s=(String)hash.get(name);
if there is an array.
Any solutions for this?
Thx.
Mark

[Paul Sturrock]

You can always get things out of a Collection as an Object, and you can find out what an Object is with the "instanceof" operator. So:

HashMap blah = new HashMap();
blah.put("1", new Object());
blah.put("2", new String[]{"foo"});
Object firstObject = blah.get("1");
Object secondObject = blah.get("2");
System.out.println(firstObject instanceof Object);
System.out.println(secondObject instanceof String[]);

Both lines of output will return true.

[ramprasad madathil]

You could use the isArray() method of java.lang.Class too.

Object obj = hashMap.get("someKey");
if(obj.getClass().isArray())
{
  //object is an array
}

ram.

[Mark Mescher]

Ok Thank you both solutions work for me.
I thought a String Array would be also an Object Array and not an Object.I was surprised that instanceof works here:-)
Bye
Mark