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application with multiple files?

 
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Hello Folks;

I am writing a Javabean / JSP application and have a problem, maybe because I'm thinking like a C programmer. I would like to separate my application into multiple Java source files.

Side Question: can a single Java class be divided into two source files?

Specifically, I have written a utility function which I would like to use in multiple places in the application. If it were a C program, I would put the function in a 'utility.c' file, make a 'utility.h' header file, call the function whenever needed, and live happily foreverafter.

Main Question: what is the simplest way do the equivalent of the above in Java?

Thanks,
Ralph
 
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Writing a web application before you have a solid grounding in Java is a bad idea. Really bad. But to answer your question: invoke the method whenever and wherever you need to:

TheClass theObject = ... //create a new instance or get a reference to an existing instance
theObject.theMethod(theArguments);
 
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As far as I know there are no equivants to a header file in java. Implementation + everything else is shoved into a .java file.

It does take a bit getting used to. The Java way felt weird to me for a while.

You can make the method(for some reason Java people insist on calling functions, methods) static. Then you can call it directly with ClassName.methodName();
 
Jeff Albertson
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Of course, a method is defined to as static or not for compelling logical reasons, not just because one feels a need to "call it directly".
 
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Originally posted by Rusty Shackleford:
As far as I know there are no equivants to a header file in java. Implementation + everything else is shoved into a .java file.

It does take a bit getting used to. The Java way felt weird to me for a while.

You can make the method(for some reason Java people insist on calling functions, methods) static. Then you can call it directly with ClassName.methodName();



In the context of Java they are methods, calling it a function is erroneous. Of course it's a pretty safe bet most people will understand exactly what you mean, but your comment is rather presumptuous. Afterall, why do you C/C++ people insist on calling subroutines 'functions' anyway? I can only imagine what the mathematicians think of our so-called functions.
 
Ralph Kehmeier
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Thanks to all of you for your responses. But Jeff, after reading yours, I felt like crying. "Writing a web application before you have a solid grounding in Java is a bad idea. Really bad." I'm sorry for being a beginner! Where do I get an official license to write web applications? Omigod, could something, like, explode if I make a mistake??

I infer from your answer that in Java it is indeed necessary to invent some lame class in order to execute a simple little utility function.

No one answered my first question. Can a single Java class be divided across two source files?

Thanks,
Ralph
 
Rusty Shackleford
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It was answered.

No

Unless you want to split up a class into 2, which would probably make no sense, and you still will have nothing like a header file.

Interface details(not java interface) and implementation are mixed in a .java file.

A workaround is a static method, and as correctly noted should only be used when it makes sense.
 
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Ralph, your attitude isn't going to win you friends here. If you know so well how the world should work and it's the way you're used to in C++ why don't you stick to that?

Your question was answered quite clearly and you were given a very sound warning about not diving into advanced stuff before you understand the basics.

Did you go and write a multithreaded database server in C++ before you even know what a pointer was? I guess not.
Yet you're trying to write a multithreaded application in Java when you don't even know the core language mechanisms...

and yes, an application can exist in multiple files. But a single class can not.
I'm now working on a web application that exists (at the moment) of some 2200 sources for example.
[ June 02, 2006: Message edited by: Jeroen T Wenting ]
 
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hi there,

@all
ralph is mentioning c, not c++. so i think we are asuming too much oo experience.

furthermore - he obviously is not a native speaker, same goes for me. translating his english post back to german, i admit that it's not really friendly, but it's also far away from being rude or so. we do speak like this in germany :-)

and hey, it's the beginner forum, isn't it?

@ralph
i think the problem is that you are mentioning two issues which are on the opposite sides of the range of knowledge. while (enterprise?)bean / webapp / jsp certainly is advanced, splitting a class in two files certainly is not.

at least not from a java perspective, because we (try to) think in objects and its responsibilites. if a class is longer then 100 - 200 lines, it's usually a so-called "bad smell" and we try to refactor the class (read: object) to something shorter (read: remove responsibilities).

probably it's a good idea to familarize yourself a bit with java and oo-design, before building a webapp. but hey, it takes a weekend to work yourself through some pages of a online-tutorial or a book. i see "head first java" recommended many times in this forum...

best regards and greetings from berlin,
jan





@ralph. no, nothing will explode if you make a mistake in your webapp.
 
Ralph Kehmeier
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[My] attitude isn't going to win friends? Well, perhaps I did overdo it a bit. But I found the response: "Writing ...before you have a solid grounding ...is a bad idea. Really bad." to be silly, and a bit patronizing. I tried to respond with humor. (Question: do ranch hands have a sense of humor?) After all, if Mr. Albertson is correct, why is there a "JavaServer Pages for Dummies"?? In my career as software developer, I have learned 80% by doing, 15% through reading other people's source code (good and bad), ~4% from how-to books, and now, 0.01% by consulting experts.

Rusty, I can't see anywhere my first question was answered, until you answered it ("no"). Thanks for the clear answer.

Jan, thank you for your nice response, and the concept of refactoring. Actually I am a native English speaker. Gee, is my writing that bad?! But you are half right. Greetings back to you from Wermelskirchen.
 
Jan Groth
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ooops, obviously it's my english which is bad...

really thought you are using the same german-to-english-style i do. and you last name is as german as possible... :-)

cheers,
jan
 
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