How can I write this Java logic code more efficiently?

Question

I have four TextViews in my activity. Based on an incoming message, I want to change the format of these four TextViews so that one is larger and bold while the rest are smaller and regularly styled. To do this, I create two methods, setTextNormal and setTextBig. In order to change the numbers I am using this bit of code:

                if (tokens[2].equals("0")) {
                    setTextBig(text1);
                    setTextNormal(text2);
                    setTextNormal(text3);
                    setTextNormal(text4);
                }
                if (tokens[2].equals("1")) {
                    setTextBig(text2);
                    setTextNormal(text1);
                    setTextNormal(text3);
                    setTextNormal(text4);
                }
                if (tokens[2].equals("2")) {
                    setTextBig(text3);
                    setTextNormal(text2);
                    setTextNormal(text1);
                    setTextNormal(text4);
                }
                if (tokens[2].equals("3")) {
                    setTextBig(text4);
                    setTextNormal(text2);
                    setTextNormal(text3);
                    setTextNormal(text1);
                }

Notice that for each if statement, one of the TextViews are being set to big and the rest to normal. It works, but is there a more efficient way for me to set these TextViews?

You could setTextNormal all views before the ifs then setTextBig the view you want in the if block. — assylias, Aug 26 '15 at 16:07
@AreM Please work harder to make the title of your Question specific and meaningful. You can use the Edit link/button to change it. — Basil Bourque, Aug 26 '15 at 16:31
If your two methods are already written, I would recommend using my solution. If they have not yet been written, I would go with the solution @Andreas proposed. — cadams, Aug 26 '15 at 16:51

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:12

2

Make an array of your text variables like [text1, text2, text3, text4]

Set all texts normal at the start, as other users have suggested, and then do: setTextBig(texts[tokens[2]]);

answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:12

cadams

1,299
1
11
21

Andreas · Accepted Answer · 2015-08-26T16:23:17.540

2

I would suggest changing your code to have a setTextSize(text, boolean big) method, and use it as follows:

String token = tokens[2];
setTextSize(text1, /*big*/token.equals("0"));
setTextSize(text2, /*big*/token.equals("1"));
setTextSize(text3, /*big*/token.equals("2"));
setTextSize(text4, /*big*/token.equals("3"));

edited Aug 26 '15 at 16:23

answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:13

Andreas

154,647
11
152
247

I wonder why I got a down-vote. The question stated that `setTextNormal` and `setTextBig` was created by OP, so going with a different implementation is a very valid answer. --- But just in case it's because someone don't like that you have to look at the signature of `setTextSize` to see what parameter 2 means, I'll add comments to help any reader of the code. That's a good pattern anyway, especially for boolean parameters. – Andreas Aug 26 '15 at 16:22
Very clean and elegant. Great answer! – Phantômaxx Aug 27 '15 at 07:08

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 26 '15 at 16:26

0

Well not sure if more efficent by much really but just setting all text to normal first and then only changing the specific text to large works such as.

setTextNormal(text4);
setTextNormal(text2);
setTextNormal(text3);
setTextNormal(text1);
if (tokens[2].equals("0")) {
    setTextBig(text1);
} else if (tokens[2].equals("1")) {
    setTextBig(text2);
} else if (tokens[2].equals("2")) {
    setTextBig(text3);
} else if (tokens[2].equals("3")) {
    setTextBig(text4);
}

edited Aug 26 '15 at 16:26

Andreas

154,647
11
152
247

answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:08

Ashley Alvarado

1,078
10
17

You loose a } on the first if. Correct also indentation. – Davide Lorenzo MARINO Aug 26 '15 at 16:11

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:10

Probably you can do something like that.

 setTextNormal(text1);
 setTextNormal(text2);
 setTextNormal(text3);
 setTextNormal(text4);

 if (tokens[2].equals("0")) {
     setTextBig(text1);
 } else if (tokens[2].equals("1")) {
     setTextBig(text2);
 } else if (tokens[2].equals("2")) {
     setTextBig(text3);
 } else if (tokens[2].equals("3")) {
     setTextBig(text4);
 }

Check if it is possible to set a text as normal and after set it as big.

Nabin Bhandari · Answer 5 · 2015-08-26T17:52:15.423

0

void setNormal(){
    setTextNormal(text1);
    setTextNormal(text2);
    setTextNormal(text3);
    setTextNormal(text4);
}

switch(tokens[2]){
    case "0":
        setNormal();
        setTextBig(text1);
        break;
    case "1":
        setNormal();
        setTextBig(text2);
        break;
    case "2":
        setNormal();
        setTextBig(text3);
        break;
    case "3":
        setNormal();
        setTextBig(text4);
        break;
    default:
        break;
}

edited Aug 26 '15 at 17:52

answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:14

Nabin Bhandari

15,949
6
45
59

This is a logical alternative, but is almost as lengthy as the original solution. – cadams Aug 26 '15 at 16:18
I think switch case is more faster than if else :) – Nabin Bhandari Aug 26 '15 at 16:21
You can't switch on a String. – 323go Aug 26 '15 at 16:46
Man, of course you can. this code is working, check this out @323go public static void main(String[] args){ String a = "1"; switch(a){ case "1": System.out.println("abc"); } } – Nabin Bhandari Aug 26 '15 at 16:52
@323go you can definitely switch on a String, I use it all the time. See this answer: http://stackoverflow.com/a/19722741/1499541 – anthonycr Aug 26 '15 at 16:53
Regardless, this isn't even switching on a string. `tokens[2]` is an int it appears. – cadams Aug 26 '15 at 17:45

whitecoffee · Answer 6 · 2015-08-26T16:42:32.800

0

Extract the repeated similarity into a method

setText(String large, String ... small)

// note 2nd arg is vararg which is one or more arguments

//setTextLarge(large)

//Iterate over small which is a vararg array and setTextSmall

Then to use the extracted method

If token is 0 setText(text1, text2, text3)

If token is 2 setText(text2, text1, text3)

If token is 2 setText(text3, text1, text2)

edited Aug 26 '15 at 16:42

answered Aug 26 '15 at 16:36

whitecoffee

76
5

Ahmad Al-Kurdi · Answer 7 · 2015-08-26T16:46:29.943

    if (tokens[2].equals("0")) {
            setTextsOrder(text1, text2, text3, text4);
        } else if (tokens[2].equals("1")) {
            setTextsOrder(text2, text1, text3, text4);
        } else if (tokens[2].equals("2")) {
            setTextsOrder(text3, text2, text1, text4);
        } else if (tokens[2].equals("3")) {
            setTextsOrder(text4, text2, text3, text1);
        }
    }
    . 
    .

    private static void setTextsOrder(String text, String... texts) {
        setTextBig(text);
        for (String textIt : texts) {
            setTextNormal(textIt);
        }
    }

How can I write this Java logic code more efficiently?

7 Answers7