Dynamic runtime typecasting

Question

Hey, i've been trying all night to figure out a way to implement dynamic typecasting in Java.
So say if we have a class Dog which extends Class Animal:
Animal a = new Animal("dingo");
Dog d = new Dog("BillyG");
System.out.println((Animal)d);
Note the casting is specified at compile time, instead i'd like to do it
during runtime.
Animal a = new Animal("dingo");
Dog a = new Dog("BillyG");
System.out.println((a.getClass())d);
I realize the above code is illegal, but i'd like to do something
essentially similar even if it involves some hacks.
Regards,
d33p.

Answer 1

It is not possible to cast at runtime to any class.
But you can cast at runtime to different classes you
specify at design time by using istypeof.
"instanceof", you mean?
if ( anObject istypeof Animal.class ){
that should be ... instanceof Animal) {
animal = (Animal) anObject;
else if ( anObject istypeof Dog.class ){
dog = (Dog) anObject;
}That will cast everything to Animal by the way, since every Dog is an Animal.
By the way if you find yourself needing that kind of thing, look up the visitor pattern.