[jira] Issue Comment Edited: (COLLECTIONS-223) CollectionUtils.addAll() methods should return the input collection

["Alan Mehio (JIRA)" <ji...@apache.org>]

    [ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/COLLECTIONS-223?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel#action_12526784 ] 

alanmehio edited comment on COLLECTIONS-223 at 9/12/07 6:09 AM:
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The backward compatibility is the big issue. We can have two methods with different return type but according to the java lang spec at http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/j3TOC.html

the return type is not considered as part of the method signature so the two method are similar ; hence we get compilation error 

If some body wants  to get back the  input collection; it will be be obtained since it is a reference type ( the input collection paramter)
example
ArrayList list = new ArrayList();
int size = list.size(); // size is 0
CollectionUtils.addAll(list, new String[] { "value1", "value2" });
size = list.size(); // size is  2

I think we should give an example in the API so that developers are aware without making them to look at the source code for the commons-collections. The example in the API will make them aware of retrieving the input 
collection which is an implicit indicator of how the code being implemented inside the 
CollectionUtils.addAll

I can not see the big benefit of returning the input parameter instead of retreiving it by reference. The only difference will be in sending an anonymous object as in the case of  CollectionUtils.addAll(new ArrayList(), new String[] { "value1", "value2" });
instead of the above mentioned example. 

The backward compatibility is the biggest issue which will ruin a lot of applications; please be aware of this issue

Regards,
Alan Mehio
London, UK


      was (Author: alanmehio):
    The backward compatibility is the big issue. We can have two methods with different return type but according to <a href="http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/j3TOC.html" >the java lang spec </a>
<b>the return type is not considered as part of the method signature so the two method are similar ; hence we get compilation error </b>

If some body wants  to get back the  input collection; it will be be obtained since it is a reference type ( the input collection paramter)
example
<i>ArrayList list = new ArrayList();
int size = list.size(); // size is 0
CollectionUtils.addAll(list, new String[] { "value1", "value2" });
size = list.size(); // size is  2
</i>
I think we should give an example in the API so that developers are aware without making them to look at the source code for the commons-collections. The example in the API will make them aware of retrieving the input 
collection which is an implicit indicator of how the code being implemented inside the 
CollectionUtils.addAll

I can not see the big benefit of returning the input parameter instead of retreiving it by reference. The only difference will be in sending an anonymous object as in the case of  CollectionUtils.addAll(<b>new ArrayList()</b>, new String[] { "value1", "value2" });
instead of the above mentioned example. 

The backward compatibility is the biggest issue which will ruin a lot of applications; please be aware of this issue

Regards,
Alan Mehio
London, UK

  
> CollectionUtils.addAll() methods should return the input collection
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>                 Key: COLLECTIONS-223
>                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/COLLECTIONS-223
>             Project: Commons Collections
>          Issue Type: Improvement
>          Components: Collection
>    Affects Versions: 3.2
>            Reporter: Vasily Ivanov
>            Priority: Minor
>             Fix For: 4.0
>
>
> Like MapUtils.putAll() method returns input map, CollectionUtils.addAll() methods should return the input collection.
> This will allow to init and populate collection at the same line:
> ArrayList inputs = (ArrayList) CollectionUtils.addAll(new ArrayList(), new String[] { "value1", "value2" });

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