How to make a Java class that implements one interface with two generic types?

user_79332 0
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I have a generic interface

public interface Consumer<E> {
    public void consume(E e);
}

I have a class that consumes two types of objects, so I would like to do something like:

public class TwoTypesConsumer implements Consumer<Tomato>, Consumer<Apple>
{
   public void consume(Tomato t) {  .....  }
   public void consume(Apple a) { ...... }
}

Apparently I can't do that.

I can of course implement the dispatch myself, e.g.

public class TwoTypesConsumer implements Consumer<Object> {
   public void consume(Object o) {
      if (o instanceof Tomato) { ..... }
      else if (o instanceof Apple) { ..... }
      else { throw new IllegalArgumentException(...) }
   }
}

But I am looking for the compile-time type-checking and dispatching solution that generics provide.

The best solution I can think of is to define separate interfaces, e.g.

public interface AppleConsumer {
   public void consume(Apple a);
}

Functionally, this solution is OK, I think. It's just verbose and ugly.

Any ideas?

multiple-inheritance interface generics java
9 Answers

In Functional style it is quite easy do this without implementing the interface and also it does the compile time type checking.

Our functional interface to consume entity

@FunctionalInterface
public interface Consumer<E> { 
     void consume(E e); 
}

our manager to process and consume entity appropriately

public class Manager {
    public <E> void process(Consumer<E> consumer, E entity) {
        consumer.consume(entity);
    }

    public void consume(Tomato t) {
        // Consume Tomato
    }

    public void consume(Apple a) {
        // Consume Apple
    }

    public void test() {
        process(this::consume, new Tomato());
        process(this::consume, new Apple());
    }
}
user_41218450

Another alternative to avoid the use of more classes. (example using java8+)

// Mappable.java
public interface Mappable<M> {
    M mapTo(M mappableEntity);
}

// TwoMappables.java
public interface TwoMappables {
    default Mappable<A> mapableA() {
         return new MappableA();
    }

    default Mappable<B> mapableB() {
         return new MappableB();
    }

    class MappableA implements Mappable<A> {}
    class MappableB implements Mappable<B> {}
}

// Something.java
public class Something implements TwoMappables {
    // ... business logic ...
    mapableA().mapTo(A);
    mapableB().mapTo(B);
}
user_55352620

Sorry for answer old questions, but I really love it! Try this option:

public class MegaConsumer implements Consumer<Object> {

  Map<Class, Consumer> consumersMap = new HashMap<>();
  Consumer<Object> baseConsumer = getConsumerFor(Object.class);

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    MegaConsumer megaConsumer = new MegaConsumer();
    
    //You can load your customed consumers
    megaConsumer.loadConsumerInMapFor(Tomato.class);
    megaConsumer.consumersMap.put(Apple.class, new Consumer<Apple>() {
        @Override
        public void consume(Apple e) {
            System.out.println("I eat an " + e.getClass().getSimpleName());
        }
    });
    
    //You can consume whatever
    megaConsumer.consume(new Tomato());
    megaConsumer.consume(new Apple());
    megaConsumer.consume("Other class");
  }

  @Override
  public void consume(Object e) {
    Consumer consumer = consumersMap.get(e.getClass());
    if(consumer == null) // No custom consumer found
      consumer = baseConsumer;// Consuming with the default Consumer<Object>
    consumer.consume(e);
  }

  private static <T> Consumer<T> getConsumerFor(Class<T> someClass){
    return t -> System.out.println(t.getClass().getSimpleName() + " consumed!");
  }

  private <T> Consumer<T> loadConsumerInMapFor(Class<T> someClass){
    return consumersMap.put(someClass, getConsumerFor(someClass));
  }
}

I think that is what you are looking for.

You get this output:

Tomato consumed!

I eat an Apple

String consumed!

user_24439510
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