madbean

Another new Java language feature in Tiger... varags!

05 Jun 2003
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So, there is yet another new language feature in the Tiger early-access compiler. I already know about JSRs 14 (generics) and 201 (enums, autoboxing, enhanced for loop and static imports). But the "Test.java" in the early-access compiler also contains some "varargs" examples.

I couldn't find any mention of this syntax change in JSRs 14 or 201. A little digging and I uncovered that it is most likely some form of JSR 65: Concise Object-Array Literals.

Vararg examples

Basically, this language addition means that the compiler will automagically wrap the trailing arguments to a method call in a Object[] {...} expression.

For example, say you wanted a "printf" method that printed out a list of objects separated by some separator string. Traditionally, you might code up something like this (note I've used the new enhanced for loop syntax):

public static void myprintf(String seperator, Object[] args) {
    String sep = "";
    for (Object o : args) {
        System.out.print(sep);
        System.out.print(o);
        sep = seperator;
    }
    System.out.println();
}

...

myprintf(", ", new Object[] {"a", "b", "c"});

That's fine, but it is annoying to always have to type new Object[] {. The new JSR 65 syntax allows you to declare that last parameter to myprintf() as a "varargs catch-all". Then any "left over" parameters to a call to myprintf() will be wrapped in a new Object[] {...} expression by the compiler.

To do this, you use the new ellipsis ... token:

public static void myprintf(String seperator, Object[] args...) {
    String sep = "";
    for (Object o : args) {
        System.out.print(sep);
        System.out.print(o);
        sep = seperator;
    }
    System.out.println();
}

You can call the method like this:

int i = 1;
double x = 1.0;
String s = "Hello";

// vararg example
myprintf(", ", "a", "b", "c");

// above is equivalent to 
myprintf(", ", new Object[] {"a", "b", "c"});

// example with autoboxing, too
myprintf(", ", i, x, s);

// equivalent to
myprintf(", ", new Object[] {new Integer(i), new Double(x), s});

The output of the above is:

a, b, c
a, b, c
1, 1.0, Hello
1, 1.0, Hello

Hmm... I think I've said something about complexity already.