Contradicting exceptions when passing file to another method

Question

I'm trying to pass a file to another method which takes a String as its argument, but when I compile it I get contradicting exceptions.

The method I'm calling is:

public static String sortThis(String inputFileName) 
{
//code here
}

The code where I'm calling the method is:

tempFile1 = Sort2.sortThis(tempFile2.getPath());

and I get the exception:

incompatible types
Found: java.lang.String
Required: java.io.File

So if I just pass the file:

tempFile1 = Sort2.sortThis(tempFile2);

I get:

sortThis(java.lang.String) in Sort2 cannot be applied to (java.io.File)

Am I using the wrong method of File to get the file name/path? I'm not sure what the difference is between getAbsolutePath(), getCanonicalPath(), and getPath(), so that could be the reason it's acting strangely?

sortThis appears to return a String, where tempFile1 is File. You can't assign a String to a File. — Hunter McMillen, May 08 '12 at 16:40
Ah, yes, got it - it does return a String, that was the problem. Worked that out from Jonathon's post just before you posted Hunter. Thanks! — Laura Armitage, May 08 '12 at 16:43

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered May 08 '12 at 16:27

0

I'm assuming your tempFile1 is of type File instead of String

The following compiles and works.

import java.io.File;

public class Test
{
    public static void main( String args[] )
    {
        File file = new File( "" );
        String tempFile1 = Test.sortThis( file.getPath() );
        System.out.println( tempFile1 );
    }

    public static String sortThis( String inputFileName )
    {
        return inputFileName;
    }
}

answered May 08 '12 at 16:27

Jonathan Payne

2,223
13
11

Thanks, got it from that - it was that sortThis returns a String. – Laura Armitage May 08 '12 at 16:47

Contradicting exceptions when passing file to another method

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