Creating an unnecessary getter

Question

I have created a class, constructors and accessors. I am wondering if there is an easier way to do this?

I have a Patient class:

public Patient(final String ptNo, final String ptName,
        final String procDate, final int procType, final String injury,
        final String drName) throws IOException
{
    Patient.ptNo = getPtNo();
    Patient.ptName = getPtName();
    Patient.procDate = getProcDate();
    Patient.procType = getProcType();
    Patient.injury = getPtNotes();
    Patient.drName = getDrName();
}

And a getter for this class.

public static Patient getNewPt(String ptNo, String ptName,
        String procDate, int procType, String 
        injury, String drName) throws IOException
{
    Patient newPt = new Patient (ptNo,
            ptName, procDate, procType, injury, drName);

    return newPt;
}

So I could create new patients:

    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
    {

        Patient.getNewPt(null, null, null, 0, null, null);
        // creating an array of 5 patients
        Patient patients[] = new Patient[5];

        int i = 0;

        for (i = 0; i < 5; i++)
        {
            patients[i] = Patient.getNewPt(null, null, null, i, null, null);

        }
        Patient.getOption();
    }

And also create new patients through a menu option:

public static String getOption() throws IOException
{
    System.out.println("bla bla");

    option = stdin.readLine();

    switch (option)
    {
    case ("N"):
    Patient newPt = new Patient (ptNo,
            ptName, procDate, procType, injury, drName);
        break;// and so on

I asked another question For loop accepting an extra array member and then realised something that I thought might make a helpful Q&A for newcomers like myself.

You might be interested in the Factory Pattern. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_method_pattern — Jeroen Vannevel, Nov 03 '13 at 23:38
@JeroenVannevel: that's waaaay over his current level. We're talking now basic simple constructors, getters and setters. Factories will have to wait a month or 5. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 03 '13 at 23:39
If it's any consolation, I learned Java at an older age than you. It can be done at our age, so don't give up. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 04 '13 at 01:03

Hovercraft Full Of Eels · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-04T00:38:59.343

This is wrong:

public Patient(final String ptNo, final String ptName,
        final String procDate, final int procType, final String injury,
        final String drName) throws IOException
{
    Patient.ptNo = getPtNo();
    Patient.ptName = getPtName();
    Patient.procDate = getProcDate();
    Patient.procType = getProcType();
    Patient.injury = getPtNotes();
    Patient.drName = getDrName();
}

As you're completely ignoring all values passed in as parameters. Instead do:

public Patient(final String ptNo, final String ptName,
        final String procDate, final int procType, final String injury,
        final String drName) throws IOException
{
    Patient.ptNo = ptNo;
    Patient.ptName = ptName;
    Patient.procDate = procDate;
    Patient.procType = procType;
    Patient.injury = injury;
    Patient.drName = drName;
}

Where here you're setting your class's fields with the parameter values.

A simple example of what I mean using a class with two fields:

Client.java

public class Client {
   private String clientNo;
   private String clientName;

   public Client(String clientNo, String clientName) {
      this.clientNo = clientNo;
      this.clientName = clientName;
   }

   public String getClientNo() {
      return clientNo;
   }

   public void setClientNo(String clientNo) {
      this.clientNo = clientNo;
   }

   public String getClientName() {
      return clientName;
   }

   public void setClientName(String clientName) {
      this.clientName = clientName;
   }

   @Override
   public String toString() {
      return "Client [clientNo=" + clientNo + ", clientName=" + clientName
            + "]";
   }

}

Note that there is no user interaction in the above code, none.

And a separate class for user interface, here quite simple and all in the main method:

ClientTest.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class ClientTest {
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

      Client[] clients = new Client[5];

      for (int i = 0; i < clients.length; i++) {
         System.out.print("Enter Client Number: ");
         String clientNumber = scanner.nextLine();
         System.out.print("Enter Client Name: ");
         String name = scanner.nextLine();

         clients[i] = new Client(clientNumber, name);
      }

      scanner.close();

      for (Client client : clients) {
         System.out.println(client);
      }
   }
}

@Skippy: I don't need to see that code to know that your constructor is fatally injured. Regardless of your methods, you're completely ignoring the parameters. Again, simply don't do this, don't ask for parameters and ignore them. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 03 '13 at 23:37
@Skippy: yes that's likely true. Also, you'll not want to post code in comments as it loses its formatting and is hard to read. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 03 '13 at 23:38
@Skippy: why what is doing what? You may want to edit your question by adding pertinent code, observed behavior and expected behavior. Don't delete the code already in your question since if you do, it will make our answers senseless to future visitors. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 03 '13 at 23:45
@Skippy: if this question has been answered, then yes, create a new question. Otherwise update your current question. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 03 '13 at 23:47
@Skippy: see edit for a simple example of what I'm driving at. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 04 '13 at 00:39

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 03 '13 at 23:31

I realise I don't need getNewPt. I can create new Patients like so:

Patient Management class:

public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
{
    // creating an array of 5 patients
    Patient patients[] = new Patient[5];

    int i = 0;

    for (i = 0; i < 5; i++)
    {
        patients[i] = new Patient(null, null, null, i, null, null);

    }
    Patient.getOption();
}

and so:

public static String getOption() throws IOException
{
    System.out.println("bla bla");

    option = stdin.readLine();

    switch (option)
    {
    case ("N"):
        new Patient (ptNo, ptName,
                procDate, procType, injury, drName);
        break; //and so on

Creating an unnecessary getter

2 Answers2

Linked