Issue
I would like get the class property from a generic type T.
I've decided to extend to Any but I'm getting an error.
rel="noreferrer">https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-any/index.html#extension-properties
I have the following code:
class FirebaseDBRepo<T : Any>(val child:String) {
private var callback: FirebaseDatabaseRepositoryCallback<T>? = null
private val ref: DatabaseReference
private val listener = object : ValueEventListener {
override fun onDataChange(dataSnapshot: DataSnapshot) {
//T::class.java is showing the error cannot use t as reified type parameter use class instead
val gameDS = dataSnapshot.getValue(T::class.java)
callback!!.onSuccess(gameDS!!)
}
override fun onCancelled(databaseError: DatabaseError) {
}
}
init {
ref = FirebaseDatabase.getInstance().reference.child(child)
}
fun addListener(callback: FirebaseDatabaseRepositoryCallback<T>) {
this.callback = callback
ref.addValueEventListener(listener)
}
fun removeListener() {
ref.removeEventListener(listener)
}
}
Solution
You can only get the class on reified variables. The same thing happens in java, but with a slightly different message:
public <T> void x(){
T t = T.class.newInstance();
}
In Java, you'd solve this like:
public <T> void x(Class<T> cls){
T t = cls.newInstance();
}
The same applies to Kotlin, and any calls. You'd need to get a class instance in most cases. However, Kotlin supports reified generics using a keyword, but only on inline generic functions. You could pass a class, but in functions, it's really easy just using the reified keyword.
As in you can't declare a class with reified generics, which means this is invalid:
class SomeClass<reified T>
But it is valid for inline functions, meaning you can do:
inline fun <reified T> someFunction()
So you have two options. But since you extend a listener, the first option of adding the generics to the function isn't an option. You can't override a non-generic method with generics. It won't compile.
Which leaves the second option, which unfortunately is rather hackish; passing the class to the constructor. So it should look like this:
class FirebaseDBRepo<T : Any>(val child: String, private val cls: Class<T>) {
Now, I don't use Firebase, so I have no clue what classes you'd pass, so for this next example, I just use String.
Kotlin supports some type minimization without going over to raw types. This:
val t = FirebaseDBRepo<String>("", String::class.java)
Could be shortened to this:
val t = FirebaseDBRepo("", String::class.java)
The inferred type in both cases is FirebaseDBRepo<String>.
Answered By - Zoe stands with Ukraine
Answer Checked By - Terry (JavaFixing Volunteer)
