How to include an integer into another variable's name

Question

Possible Duplicate:
Dynamic variable names Java

if i have an

int i =5;

how to make a new variable, which will have a value of the previous integer build into it's name?

example:

String string**i**;

so that, in the ent, my String variable will be named 

string**5**

possible duplicate of [Dynamic variable names Java](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5805843/dynamic-variable-names-java). Or http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6729605/dynamic-variable-names-in-java. Or many others. — Stephen C, Dec 16 '12 at 02:44
Yep. The proper solution here is "use an array," not "hack this into Java," which is impossible. — Louis Wasserman, Dec 16 '12 at 02:45
@TejaswiRana: Are we talking about the same language? You _can't do that in Java._ — Louis Wasserman, Dec 16 '12 at 02:53
I suppose it would have been possible if String class had a constructor or a setter method that would allow naming. — Mukus, Dec 16 '12 at 03:04

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 16 '12 at 02:46

2

You don't. You use an array:

String[] strings = new string[10];
strings[5] = "foo";

answered Dec 16 '12 at 02:46

Louis Wasserman

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 16 '12 at 02:58

The simple answer is that you can't / shouldn't try to do that kind of stuff in Java. Java variable names must be known at compile time. Period.

And in this particular case, it seems like it would be a pointless exercise anyway. Consider this:

String buildstring_<buildNumber> = ...

How are you going to use this hypothetical variable?

if (buildstring_<buildNumber>.equals(...)) {
    ....
}

But you could have achieved the same thing like this:

String buildstring_current = ...

if (buildstring_current.equals(...)) {
    ....
}

OK, so suppose there are lots of these build strings ...

String buildstring_1 = ...
String buildstring_2 = ...
String buildstring_3 = ...

if (buildstring_<buildNumber>.equals(...)) {
    ....
}

Fine ... but what happens when <buildNumber> is one greater than the last buildstring_? declaration? Compilation error or runtime error!!!

No. The sensible way to do this in Java is to use an array or a Map ... or possibly something read from a properties file.

2 Answers2