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From: Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject: Re: Overloading methods question
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2018 07:50:34 -0400
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On 10/25/2018 8:37 PM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
> On Thu, 25 Oct 2018 20:08:54 -0400, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> 
>> Enum achives the same 4 goals (except obviously the first half of #a -
>> not having to define an enum).
>>
> Sure, though being defined outside a class that is the only place its
> used (apart from when its supplied as a method argument) as we've been
> discussing does separate each constant definition and its documentation
> from the class definition and documentation

	public class Whatnot {
	    public static enum Style { LONG, SHORT };
	    ...
	    String method(Style style) { ... }
	}

	Whatnot what = new Whatnot();
	String thing = what.method(Whatnot.Style.SHORT);

>> And enum will be better/easier documented for method arguments.
>>
> Apart from the separation mentioned above. I see this as a disadvantage
> though you may not.

     "Better/easier" is a *dis*advantage?  Is this Opposite Day?

>> And enum is type safe while int constants are not.
>>
> AFAIK that is not relevant if the constant is defined as static final.

     Both Arne's and Martin's comments elude my understanding, so
I won't try to respond.

>> will be accepted by the compiler but have undefined semantics.
>>
> Agreed, but being basically a mildly paranoid C programmer I tend to
> validate all arguments, including those created with a #define (C) or as
> static final int (Java) and you really shouldn't be defining a constant
> unless its one of the above or part of an enum.

     Early mistake detection beats late misteak detectoin, every time.
Compile-time detection beats run-time detection.

> So far, it all looks a bit like swings and roundabouts to me except, of
> course, if your enum contains logic rather than being simply a list of
> constants.

     My scorecard shows Arne with three, Martin with nil, and one
undecided.

-- 
esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid
Eight hundred seventeen days to go.