Type parameter in 'add' method of 'ArrayList'

Question

My little application utilizes an object of type 'ArrayList', especially because this class enables the size increment of the list by successive actions after its creation. http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/ shows that I can use the method '*add(E e)*' for this purpose.
The IDE I use is 'NetBeans IDE 6.5'.
My object of type 'ArrayList' is multi-dimensional and to build it up, I make use of a re-entering method. At the end of this last, one can thus see :
     chaîneCible.add(descendant);
     return (chaîneCible);In 'chaîneCible.add(...',
1) if I don't write the type E of the object e to append ('descendant')
- the pre-compiler doesn't grumble : It does not underline the statement in red
although the type of method parameter, own to 'descendant', is missing - e.g. 'String'.
- the debugger grumbles :
Note: C:\Documents and Settings\Me\My documents\ApplicPrograms\Application7\src\package\NoeudàCaseàCocher.java uses unchecked or unsafe operations.
Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.2) if I add the type E of the object e to append - e.g. 'BigDecimal' - then
- the pre-compiler grumbles :
- It underlines the statement in red.
- "Missing ;" + "Cannot find symbol" + "Symbol : variable String" + "location : ..."
Confusion : It takes the type for an argument !
- although the API stipulates that it is mandatory to specify the type of the parameter in front of it.
3) I don't know when anymore, the compiler returned
Class 'ArrayList' - method 'add'
automatic casting of a 'String' into an 'Object' is refuted at compilationWhy cannot I specify the type E of the argument e, as the API requires ?
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Dear DrClap,
Here is an intermediate source code (121 lines) of my original code file (1145 lines) which is working well, except this arrayList.*add(E e)* issue.
You see here the declaration of the ArrayList, the code where I add entries to the ArrayList, the code where I try to "add the type E ...
By writing *add(E e)*, I am simply using the syntax mentioned in http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/
I guarantee that the code that I filtered out is not relevant to my arrayList.*add(E e)* issue.
It is going on a parser that inserts String data from an auxiliairy file at the time of parsing the principal source file (chaîneSource), to generate a target file (chaîneCible).
{code}
package arbreformtarif;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.math.BigDecimal;
class NoeudàCaseàCocher
String dénomFournis;
FormTarif donnéesàTéléch_CB;
Object[] formTarif;
private static Object[] formTarif_Libellés;
private static byte langue = 0;
private BigDecimal[] consommParticul;
NoeudàCaseàCocher (Object[] data_TariefForm,
String gewest,
String naam_Aanbod,
FormTarif dataToDownload_CB,
{ formTarif = data_TariefForm;
donnéesàTéléch_CB = dataTeDownloaden_CB;
private ArrayList assocLibellésAuxDonnées(Object[] chaîneSource)
{ byte nbreEléments = (byte) chaîneSource.length;
ArrayList chaîneCible = new ArrayList(nbreEléments);
Object descendant = null;
for (int nbreBoucle = 0; nbreBoucle < nbreEléments; nbreBoucle++)
{ Object élément = chaîneSource[nbreBoucle];
if (élément instanceof String)
{ switch (...) //
{ case 0:
switch (...)
{ case 1:
dénomFournis = (String) élément;
break;
case 2:
switch (...)
{ case 1:
moisDApplication = (String) élément;
break;
case 2:
break;
default:
break;
case 3:
break;
default:
break;
case 1:
switch (...)
{ case 0:
switch (...)
{ case 0:
break;
break;
default:
descendant = (String) élément;
} else
{ if (élément instanceof Boolean)
descendant = (Boolean) élément;
} else
{ if (élément instanceof BigDecimal)
descendant = (BigDecimal) élément;
} else
{ if (élément instanceof Object[])
switch (...)
{ case 0:
élément = ((Object[])formTarif[iCA[0][1]]);
break;
case 2:
switch (...)
{ case 0:
chaîneCible.add(((Object[])formTarif_Libellés[langue])[3]); // Always a String
break;
default:
break;
default:
break;
default:
descendant = (ArrayList)assocLibellésAuxDonnées((Object[]) élément);
} else
{ if (élément == null)
/* Note: C:\Documents and Settings\Charles\Mijn documenten\Applic Program\Java\CostComp_HomeElectric_2\
* src\arbreformtarifàtélécharger\Noeudà2CasesàCocher.java uses unchecked or unsafe operations.
* Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.
chaîneCible.add(descendant);
return (chaîneCible);
{code}
Remember that
- 'élément' and 'descendant' are, depending of the momentaneous case, of type String, BigDecimal, Boolean, Object[] or null.
- 'assocLibellésAuxDonnées' is a re-entering method.
Thanks