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Does anyone know a better way to write the following statement:

example.mySpecialMethod(new MySpecialClass[0].getClass())

I need the array type, but I dont know if there is a better solution. At the moment this example works for me, but perhaps someone knows a better way to do the same without the new keyword.

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Why not MySpecialClass.class ? If mySpecialMethod() takes a Class as parameter, then it makes no sense instantiating an array. –  bali182 12 hours ago
    
the method expects 'Class<? extends MySpecialClass[]> c' as param –  user3280180 12 hours ago
    
I see, my bad . –  bali182 12 hours ago

1 Answer 1

up vote 15 down vote accepted

The class of new MySpecialClass[0] is MySpecialClass[].class so you can use:

example.mySpecialMethod(MySpecialClass[].class)
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Just out of curiosity, what would be the best solution if your component type wasn't known at compile time? I can't think of a better way than java.lang.reflect.Array.newInstance( componentClass, 0 ).getClass() –  biziclop 12 hours ago
    
@biziclop my code is equivalent to the original. But if you need the actual class of some object then you need a reference to that object. –  assylias 12 hours ago
    
I know, it just occurred to me as a complete aside. Given a class object of an array, you can simply call getComponentType() to get the component class. But the reverse seems to be far more complicated. –  biziclop 12 hours ago
1  
@biziclop: Your question was already answered: Obtaining the array Class of a component type. –  Jean Hominal 10 hours ago

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