Accessing constructor of an anonymous class

Question

Lets say I have a concrete class Class1 and I am creating an anonymous class out of it.

Object a = new Class1(){
        void someNewMethod(){
        }
             


        

Answer 1

Peter Norvig's The Java IAQ: Infrequently Answered Questions

http://norvig.com/java-iaq.html#constructors - Anonymous class contructors

http://norvig.com/java-iaq.html#init - Construtors and initialization

Summing, you can construct something like this..

public class ResultsBuilder {
    Set<Result> errors;
    Set<Result> warnings;

...

    public Results<E> build() {
        return new Results<E>() {
            private Result[] errorsView;
            private Result[] warningsView;
            {
                errorsView = ResultsBuilder.this.getErrors();
                warningsView = ResultsBuilder.this.getWarnings();
            }

            public Result[] getErrors() {
                return errorsView;
            }

            public Result[] getWarnings() {
                return warningsView;
            }
        };
    }

    public Result[] getErrors() {
        return !isEmpty(this.errors) ? errors.toArray(new Result[0]) : null;
    }

    public Result[] getWarnings() {
        return !isEmpty(this.warnings) ? warnings.toArray(new Result[0]) : null;
    }
}

Answer 2

In my case, a local class (with custom constructor) worked as an anonymous class:

Object a = getClass1(x);

public Class1 getClass1(int x) {
  class Class2 implements Class1 {
    void someNewMethod(){
    }
    public Class2(int a){
      super();
      System.out.println(a);
    }
  }
  Class1 c = new Class2(x);
  return c;
}

Answer 3

That is not possible, but you can add an anonymous initializer like this:

final int anInt = ...;
Object a = new Class1()
{
  {
    System.out.println(anInt);
  }

  void someNewMethod() {
  }
};

Don't forget final on declarations of local variables or parameters used by the anonymous class, as i did it for anInt.

Answer 4

It doesn't make any sense to have a named overloaded constructor in an anonymous class, as there would be no way to call it, anyway.

Depending on what you are actually trying to do, just accessing a final local variable declared outside the class, or using an instance initializer as shown by Arne, might be the best solution.

Answer 5

If you dont need to pass arguments, then initializer code is enough, but if you need to pass arguments from a contrcutor there is a way to solve most of the cases:

Boolean var= new anonymousClass(){
    private String myVar; //String for example

    @Overriden public Boolean method(int i){
          //use myVar and i
    }
    public String setVar(String var){myVar=var; return this;} //Returns self instane
}.setVar("Hello").method(3);

Answer 6

From the Java Language Specification, section 15.9.5.1:

An anonymous class cannot have an explicitly declared constructor.

Sorry :(

EDIT: As an alternative, you can create some final local variables, and/or include an instance initializer in the anonymous class. For example:

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        final int fakeConstructorArg = 10;

        Object a = new Object() {
            {
                System.out.println("arg = " + fakeConstructorArg);
            }
        };
    }
}

It's grotty, but it might just help you. Alternatively, use a proper nested class :)