About Java method

Question

I need to design a Java method. The signature is like:
void methodAbc( in String abc, out String def )
After passing 'abc' to this method and finishing manipulation, how can I get the return value from 'def'?
thank you.

Answer 1

The only way I can think of is to wrap your the value into another class.
This results in the TERRIBLE code that follows (please don't shoot me !):
public class StringThing{
    public StringThing(){
        String thing=new String("");
        System.out.println("Before : "+thing.getString());
        methodAbc("Aaargh !",thing);
        System.out.println("After : "+thing.getString());
    public void methodAbc(java.lang.String abc,String def){
        def.setString(abc);
    public static void main(java.lang.String[] args){
        new StringThing();
    // This is horrible...
    public class String{
        private java.lang.String wrapped;
        public String(java.lang.String wrapped){
            this.wrapped=wrapped;
        public java.lang.String getString(){
            return wrapped;
        public void setString(java.lang.String value){
            wrapped=value;
}Hope you hate it as much as I do.
If you execute this, you will see that - in apparance the string called "thing" has changed. But it hasn't - its content has changed but not the String itself - that's the trick. This is the only way to simulate passing parameters by address in Java.
Please DON'T use this solution - no one will be able to read crappy code like that. Let alone maintain it.
It's just an example to show simulating passing params. by address.
BadLands