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From: Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject: Re: startup code
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:41:36 -0400
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On 8/29/2012 2:58 PM, Patricia Shanahan wrote:
> On 8/29/2012 11:18 AM, bob smith wrote:
>> On Wednesday, August 29, 2012 10:28:09 AM UTC-5, Patricia Shanahan wrote:
>>> On 8/29/2012 8:14 AM, bob smith wrote:
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>>> I have a font class, and it needs to load a bitmap containing the
>>>> fonts.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> When do you need the bitmap? For example, it might be needed on first
>>>
>>> call to some static method in the class, or the first time an instance
>>>
>>> of the class is created ...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Patricia
>>
>> On first call to some static method in the class
>>
>
> In that case, put the initialization in a static initializer:
>
> static {
>    // create the bitmap
> }
>
> It will be run on the first event that causes initialization of the
> class. Invocation of a static method is one of those events.

     "What she said," with a stylistic suggestion: If the code to
create the bitmap grows to more than a very few lines, consider
putting them in a private static method of their own and calling
that method from the static initializer:

	class Thing {
	    ...
	    static {
	        createTheBitmap();
	    }

	    /** Called only during class initialization. */
	    private static void createTheBitmap() {
	        // create the bitmap
	    }
	    ...
	}

Doesn't change the code's meaning in any significant way, but
may make it easier to debug/adapt/refactor later on.

-- 
Eric Sosman
esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid