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wildcard operator - one doubt ...

 
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I found this from one tutorial , Is this the only use of wildcard operator ... [ when you don't want any specific paramaterized list , or can say list like 1.4's list ]

Thanks a lot .
 
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when you don't want any specific paramaterized list , or can say list like 1.4's list

There is a difference between List<?> and List.

For example,

 
Sheriff
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If you really want a pre-generics List without compile-time warnings, then you need to specify the type parameter as Object.
 
marc weber
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Joyce: I've never seen (nor can I imagine) the wildcard type parameter used outside of generic method arguments. Are there other valid uses for the wildcard?
 
Joyce Lee
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Hi Marc,

Some examples of wildcard type parameter used on non-generic method can be seen in Collection interface like addAll, containsAll, removeAll and retainAll and its subclasses.

If you really want a pre-generics List without compile-time warnings, then you need to specify the type parameter as Object.

Are you referring to something like this?



Joyce
[ March 03, 2005: Message edited by: Joyce Lee ]
 
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rathi ji kya khatru question poochha hain what is ur source of that q.
 
ankur rathi
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Abe guddu ,
Abhi-abhi bas dimag me aaya aur type kar diya ....
 
marc weber
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Originally posted by Joyce Lee:
... Are you referring to something like this? ...


Exactly. If a person really wanted to do this, specifying the type parameter as Object would "simulate" a pre-generics collection: No type-safety and no implicit casting.
 
marc weber
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Originally posted by Joyce Lee:
Some examples of wildcard type parameter used on non-generic method can be seen in Collection interface like addAll, containsAll, removeAll and retainAll and its subclasses.


Thanks for the response!

First let me verify some terminology: When you say "non-generic method," you're talking about a method that does not specify its own type parameter, but still might take arguments of a generic type. For example, public void meth1(List<Integer> inList){} would be non-generic, as opposed to the obviously generic, public <T> void meth2(T t){}. Correct?

My impression from reading Schildt (referenced here) is that both would be considered "generic methods." If this isn't accurate, then the way I phrased my question would have been misleading.

What I'm really asking is this: Are there any valid uses of the wildcard outside of a method's argument list? For example, would it ever make sense to do the following (which, as you point out above, opens the door for some interesting compilation errors)?

List<?> myList = new ArrayList<Integer>();
[ March 03, 2005: Message edited by: marc weber ]
 
greenhorn
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rathi ji kya khatru question poochha hain what is ur source of that q.




Abe guddu ,
Abhi-abhi bas dimag me aaya aur type kar diya ....



jyada masti mat karo bacho
varna firangi naraj ho jayenge !!!
 
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Ahem...

Please use English here at JavaRanch. Thanks.
 
Joyce Lee
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For example, public void meth1(List<Integer> inList){} would be non-generic, as opposed to the obviously generic, public <T> void meth2(T t){}. Correct?

Yeah, that's the impression I gathered from the generics tutorial chap 5. Please feel free to comment if you guys think otherwise.

List<?> myList = new ArrayList<Integer>();

For the above statement, I couldn't think of a reason of using it since no element can be added to myList afterwards. I just used it to illustrate the constraint of List<?>. How about using it as a return type?

For example:
 
marc weber
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...that's the impression I gathered from the generics tutorial chap 5. Please feel free to comment if you guys think otherwise...

To me, it makes sense that a "generic method" needs to specify its own type parameter, since this parallels the idea of a generic class. But no one asked me. Other material I've read (in particular, Herbert Schildt's Java 2 v5.0 (TIGER) New Features) seems to indicate that any method taking a parameterized argument is a "generic method." Perhaps I'm misinterpreting. I don't really know...

... How about using it as a return type? ...

That also works in the sense that it compiles and runs. But we still end up with a variable that (apparently) can't be dereferenced, so I'm still questioning whether this is a valid use.
 
ankur rathi
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Sorry Jim .
 
Don't get me started about those stupid light bulbs.
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