Cannot reach class parameter in function - function

I cannot reach class parameter (application) in class function.
Explain please what's the reasoning behind that? Why parameter is accessable within class body but isn't from class function?
class VM_MainActivity(application: Application) : AndroidViewModel(application) {
val taskEntities:List<TaskEntity>?= Repository(application.applicationContext).taskEntities //"application" is reachable
fun fillWithSampleData() {
Repository(**application**.applicationContext).fillDBwithSampleData() //error: Unresolved refernce: application
}
}

In your code, application is a parameter passed to the constructor.  It's only available while an instance is being constructed: while running any init { } blocks, and initialising any properties.  (The latter is why you can use it to initialise taskEntities.)  It doesn't persist after that.
If you want your instance to ‘remember’ the value of the parameter, add val (or var) before it, to make it a property:
class VM_MainActivity(val application: Application) // …

Related

Run a 'constructor' or function, after class fields initialized, in a sane way?

I'd like to use ES6 public class fields:
class Superclass {
constructor() {
// would like to write modular code that applies to all
// subclasses here, or similarly somewhere in Superclass
this.example++; // does NOT WORK (not intialized)
//e.g. doStuffWith(this.fieldTemplates)
}
}
class Subclass extends Superclass {
example = 0
static fieldTemplates = [
Foo,
function() {this.example++},
etc
]
}
Problem:
ES6 public fields are NOT initialized before the constructors, only before the current constructor. For example, when calling super(), any child field will not yet have been defined, like this.example will not yet exist. Static fields will have already been defined. So for example if one were to execute the code function(){this.example++} with .bind as appropriate, called from the superclass constructor, it would fail.
Workaround:
One workaround would be to put all initialization logic after all ES6 public classes have been properly initialized. For example:
class Subclass extends Superclass {
example = 0
lateConstructor = (function(){
this.example++; // works fine
}).bind(this)()
}
What's the solution?
However, this would involve rewriting every single class. I would like something like this by just defining it in the Superclass.constructor, something magic like Object.defineProperty(this, 'lateConstructor', {some magic}) (Object.defineProperty is allegedly internally how es6 static fields are defined, but I see no such explanation how to achieve this programatically in say the mozilla docs; after using Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor to inspect my above immediately-.binded-and-evaluated cludge I'm inclined to believe there is no way to define a property descriptor as a thunk; the definition is probably executed after returning from super(), that is probably immediately evaluated and assigned to the class like let exampleValue = eval(...); Object.defineProperty(..{value:exampleValue})). Alternatively I could do something horrible like do setTimeout(this.lateConstructor,0) in the Superclass.constructor but that would break many things and not compose well.
I could perhaps try to just use a hierarchy of Objects everywhere instead, but is there some way to implement some global logic for all subclasses in the parent class? Besides making everything lazy with getters? Thanks for any insight.
References:
Run additional action after constructor -- (problems: this requires wrapping all subclasses)
Can I create a thunk to run after the constructor?
No, that is not possible.
How to run code after class fields are initialized, in a sane way?
Put the code in the constructor of the class that defines those fields.
Is there some way to implement some global logic for all subclasses in the parent class?
Yes: define a method. The subclass can call it from its constructor.
Just thought of a workaround (that is hierarchically composable). To answer my own question, in a somewhat unfulfilling way (people should feel free to post better solutions):
// The following illustrates a way to ensure all public class fields have been defined and initialized
// prior to running 'constructor' code. This is achieved by never calling new directly, but instead just
// running Someclass.make(...). All constructor code is instead written in an init(...) function.
class Superclass {
init(opts) { // 'constructor'
this.toRun(); // custom constructor logic example
}
static make() { // the magic that makes everything work
var R = new this();
R.init(...arguments);
return R;
}
}
class Subclass extends Superclass {
subclassValue = 0 // custom public class field example
init(toAdd, opts) { // 'constructor'
// custom constructor logic example
this.subclassValue += toAdd; // may use THIS before super.init
super.init(opts);
// may do stuff afterwards
}
toRun() { // custom public class method example
console.log('.subclassValue = ', this.subclassValue);
}
}
Demo:
> var obj = Subclass.make(1, {});
.subclassValue = 1
> console.log(obj);
Subclass {
subclassValue: 1
__proto__: Superclass
}

How can I test/access companion object extension functions in Kotlin?

I have an Base64Util class with amongst others an extension function decodeBase64ToByteArray :
class Base64Util {
companion object {
fun String.decodeBase64ToByteArray(): ByteArray {
return Base64.getUrlDecoder().decode(this)
}
}
}
Now I would like to test my Base64Util via Base64IUtilTest. I can access non extension functions of course, but how can I access/test the String.decodeBase64ToByteArray() from Base64UtilTest ?
You cannot simply access member extension functions such as decodeBase64ToByteArray from outside. This is only possible if you get into the scope of the object it is defined in:
with(Base64Util.Companion){ //.Companion could be removed
"123fsad123".decodeBase64ToByteArray()
}
It could make sense to define your util functions as top-level functions in a file base64Utils.kt for example. This way, they can be called in a static way without any issue.

Using 'this' in Kotlin initializer - alternative solution, or safe to ignore?

I have a class that registers itself as an event handler, with an event service:
interface CommunicationService {
fun sendActivationMessage(toEmail: String)
}
abstract class EventCommunicationService : CommunicationService, AbstractEventHandler {
constructor(eventService: EventService) {
eventService.registerListener(this)
}
override fun onEvent(event: Event) {
if (event.type == EventType.USER_CREATED) {
sendActivationMessage(event.userEmail)
}
}
}
The idea being there can be an EmailCommunicationService, or a mocked testing version, etc. which don't all need to register themselves as listeners for when a user is created.
However Kotlin complains that I'm:
Leaking 'this' in constructor of non-final class EventCommunicationService
Which, well, I am. I could easily ignore the warning - but is there a better approach?
I've tried using an init { } block instead of a constructor, but the warning is the same.
I basically want a "post-construct" callback or similar that can be used to let this service register itself with the EventService provided in the constructor since that's the point of this intermediate type.
I understand why this is a problem - but I'm not sure how to reason my way to fixing it.
init blocks are really part of the constructor (in JVM terms), so that wouldn't help with the problem. It is very much not safe to ignore in general: see Leaking this in constructor warning for reasons (just ignore the accepted answer, its comments contain the real meat and so does Ishtar's answer).
One option (assumes that all subclasses have no-argument constructors, though it could be extended):
abstract class <T : EventCommunicationService> EventCommunicationServiceCompanion(private val creator: () -> T) {
operator fun invoke(eventService: EventService): T {
val obj = creator()
eventService.registerListener(obj)
return obj
}
}
// a subclass of EventCommunicationService:
class MyService private constructor () : EventCommunicationService {
companion object : EventCommunicationServiceCompanion<MyService>(MyService::new)
}
To create a MyService, you still call MyService(eventService), but this is actually the companion object's invoke method and not the constructor.

Can't call component method from Castle Windsor OnCreate

I'm using Castle Windsor, which generally rocks, however I want it to call a method on my component when it is created and seem to have hit a limitation with OnCreate. For exaxmple:
interface IService1
{
void op1();
}
interface IService2
{
void op2();
}
class MyComponent : IService1, IService2
{
public void Init() // not part of either service
{
}
public void op1()
{
}
public void op2()
{
}
}
// I want to call the component's Init() method when it's created, which isn't part of the service contract
container.Register(Component.For<IService1, IService2>().ImplementedBy<MyComponent>().OnCreate(s => s.Init()));
// I could call something from IService1
container.Register(Component.For<IService1, IService2>().ImplementedBy<MyComponent>().OnCreate(s => s.op1()));
// But I can't call anything from any of the other services
container.Register(Component.For<IService1, IService2>().ImplementedBy<MyComponent>().OnCreate(s => s.op2()));
The first registration won't compile, complaining that it "cannot resolve symbol Init" because the instance passed to the delegate is of type IService1. OnCreate seems a bit limited to me, as in the third case when there are multiple services exposed it only allows you to bind to the first one you declare. I'd have to swap IService1 and IService2 around in order to call op2, but that's just moving the problem around.
Why isn't the type passed in the delegate that of the component being registered? Then I'd be free to call whatever method I like. Is there a way around this? Assume I can't put the Init() code in the component's constructor.
Don't be constrained by the strongly typed nature of C#
Yes, the way the API is constructed it's based off of the first service of the component but you can always cast it down to its actual type (or a secondary service)
.OnCreate(s => ((MyComponent)s).Init())
Alternatively, implement Castle.Core.IInitializable or System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize (if you don't want your components to reference Windsor) and then you won't need .OnCreate() at all.
For future reference, here's the relevant documentation.

Can I have conditional construction of classes when using IoC.Resolve?

I have a service class which has overloaded constructors. One constructor has 5 parameters and the other has 4.
Before I call,
var service = IoC.Resolve<IService>();
I want to do a test and based on the result of this test, resolve service using a specific constructor. In other words,
bool testPassed = CheckCertainConditions();
if (testPassed)
{
//Resolve service using 5 paramater constructor
}
else
{
//Resolve service using 4 parameter constructor
//If I use 5 parameter constructor under these conditions I will have epic fail.
}
Is there a way I can specify which one I want to use?
In general, you should watch out for ambiguity in constructors when it comes to DI because you are essentially saying to any caller that 'I don't really care if you use one or the other'. This is unlikely to be what you intended.
However, one container-agnostic solution is to wrap the conditional implementation into another class that implements the same interface:
public class ConditionalService : IService
{
private readonly IService service;
public ConditionalService()
{
bool testPassed = CheckCertainConditions();
if (testPassed)
{
// assign this.service using 5 paramater constructor
}
else
{
// assign this.service using 4 parameter constructor
}
}
// assuming that IService has a Foo method:
public IBaz Foo(IBar bar)
{
return this.service.Foo(bar);
}
}
If you can't perform the CheckCertainConditions check in the constructor, you can use lazy evaluation instead.
It would be a good idea to let ConditionalService request all dependencies via Constructor Injection, but I left that out of the example code.
You can register ConditionalService with the DI Container instead of the real implementation.
My underlying problem was that I was trying to resolve my class which had the following signature:
public DatabaseSchemaSynchronisationService(IDatabaseService databaseService, IUserSessionManager userSessionManager)
This was basically useless to me because my usersessionmanager had no active NHibernate.ISession because a connection to my database had not yet been made. What I was trying to do was check if I did have a connection and only then resolve this class which served as a service to run database update scripts.
When changing my whole class to perform the scripts in a different way, all I needed in its constructor's signature was:
public DatabaseSchemaSynchronisationService(ISessionFactory sessionFactory)
This allowed me to open my own session. I did, however have to first check if the connection was ready before attempting to resolve the class, but having IDatabaseSchemaSynchronisationService as a parameter to another class's constructor; this class also gettting resolved somewhere where I could not check the db connection was a bad idea.
Instead in this second class, I took the IDatabaseSchemaSynchronisationService paramater out of the constructor signature and made it a local variable which only gets instantiated (resolved) :
if (connectionIsReady)
Thanks to everyone who answered.