[@378] Joyeux Noël

[@586]
toString Velocity Template

I'm using the excellent GenereateToString plugin to automatically create toString() methods in IDEA.

I've modified the default Velocity template as follows:

/**
* Returns a string representation of the object.
*
* @return A string representation of the object.
*/
public final String toString() {
final StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer(super.toString());
#set ($i = 0)
#foreach ($member in $members)
#if (!$member.modifierStatic)
#if ($i == 0)
sb.append("[ ##
#else
sb.append(", ##
#end
#if ($member.string)
$member.name.replaceFirst("_", "") -> '")##
#else
$member.name.replaceFirst("_", "") -> ")##
#end
#if ($member.primitiveArray)
.append($member.name == null ? "null" : "");
sb.append('{');
for (int i = 0; $member.name != null && i < $member.name .length; ++i)
sb.append(i == 0 ? "" : ", ").append($member.name[i]);
sb.append('}');
#elseif ($member.objectArray)
.append($member.name == null ? "null" : Arrays.asList($member.name).toString());
#elseif ($member.string)
.append($member.accessor).append('\'');
#else
.append($member.accessor);
#end
#set ($i = $i + 1)
#end
#end
#if ($members.size() == 0)
sb.append("{}");
#else
sb.append(" ]");
#end
return sb.toString();
}

Here's an example of the code it automatically generates:

public class Test
{
  private String _name;
  private int _port;
  private String _url;
  private String[] _validIPs;
  // …

  /**
  * Returms a string representation of the object.
  *
  * @return A string representation of the object.
  */
  public final String toString()
  {
    final StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer(super.toString());
    sb.append("[ name -> '").append(_name).append('\'');
    sb.append(", url -> '").append(_url).append('\'');
    sb.append(", port -> ").append(_port);
    sb.append(", validIPs -> ").append((_validIPs == null) ? "null" : Arrays.asList(_validIPs).toString());
    sb.append(" ]");

    return sb.toString();
  }
}

Here's a sample of what it returns:

Test@126b249[ name -> 'Test', url -> 'http://www.test.com', port -> 80, validIPs -> [127.0.0.1, localhost] ]

Overall not that many modifications from the default template:

• The default template uses name=value, I use name -> value which I find more legible.
• The default template prepends the class name, I prepend the super's toString() representation.
• I also remove the underscore in front of field names, once again for legibility.
• Finally, I added some javadoc comments.

[@687]
Array Initialization

public class Example {
  public Boolean flags[] = new Boolean[4];
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Example ex = new Example();
    System.out.println( "Flag 1 is " + ex.flags[1] );
  }
}

Yes, Flag 1 is null. I can't believe I forgot that.

[@151]

The Pulse

Erik's Pulse has been published.

[@634]

[@021]

The Pulse

Erik's Pulse has been published.

[@570]

Logging Packages with Log4J

I was looking for a way to log a specific package to its own file using Log4J. Took me a while to figure it out, but here's what I came up with in my log4j.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE log4j:configuration SYSTEM "log4j.dtd">
<log4j:configuration xmlns:log4j="http://jakarta.apache.org/log4j/" debug="false">

<!-- Main Rolling Log (by Size) -->
<appender name="R" class="org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender">
<param name="File" value="main.log"/>
<param name="Append" value="true"/>
<param name="MaxFileSize" value="10MB"/>
<param name="maxBackupIndex" value="10"/>
<layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
<param name="ConversionPattern" value="[%d{yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss}] [%p] %m%n"/>
</layout>
</appender>

<!-- MyPackage Rolling Log -->
<appender name="P" class="org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender">
<param name="File" value="mypackage.log"/>
<param name="Append" value="true"/>
<param name="MaxFileSize" value="10MB"/>
<param name="maxBackupIndex" value="10"/>
<layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
<param name="ConversionPattern" value="[%d{yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss}] [%p] %m%n"/>
</layout>
</appender>

<!-- MyPackage Logger -->
<logger name="net.thauvin.erik.mypackage" additivity="false">
<appender-ref ref="P"/>
</logger>

<!-- Print only messages of priority INFO or above in the com.example package -->
<category name="com.example">
<priority value="info"/>
</category>

<!-- Root (Default) Logging -->
<root>
<priority value="fatal"/>
<appender-ref ref="R"/>
</root>

</log4j:configuration>

Incidentally, Log4j 1.2.13 was just released.

[@556]
War of the Worlds We finally watched War of the Worlds last night, thanks to Netflix. I can't believe that the same people who brought us Minority Report have produced such a yawner. This movie was all about special effects, and frankly, they weren't all that good. Especially the eye thing, which as been used and re-used in countless sci-fi movies. I was reading some of the reviews afterwards. Most movie critics are really clueless when it comes to the sci-fi genre. But since Spielberg directed it, they all pretty much liked it. The man can do no wrong. Some even had the audacity to compare it to Close Encounters. Please. Spielberg has made his share of crap, and you can add this one to the list.