JAVA accessing items inside an object array

Question

so I have got a class that has the following method signature

public void doStuff(**Object[] lists**)
{ 
    ...
}

I am having trouble figuring out how to access the individual elements in the lists

For example, if one of the objects passed (say list[0]) is a Character array (Character[] = {'a', 'd', 'z'}) then how would I find out from this method that lists[0] has 'a' 'd' and 'z' in it?

I have tried code like: Object list0 = list[0]; but then I am absolutely lost on how to get the contents of list[0] (in this case, 'a' 'd' and 'z').

Any ideas?

(UPDATE)

Thanks for the responses. I was able to modify your guys' ideas and make it work :)

If you know you have arrays in the lists, you can cast the elements. For example, ((Character[])lists[0])[0] — Sotirios Delimanolis
– Sotirios Delimanolis, Commented Sep 19, 2013 at 23:59
If you have an array of arrays, you could use multidimensional arrays (lists[][]) — pandorym
– pandorym, Commented Sep 20, 2013 at 0:01

ApproachingDarknessFish · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-20 00:15:55Z

4

Just drill down the param as required:

public void doStuff(Object[] lists) 
{ 
   Object entry0 = lists[0]; //Object Array only contains objects.
   char[] charArr = (char[]) entry0; // Explicit cast: You know that lists[0] is a char Array!
   for (char c : charArr)
   {
     System.out.println("Char Array contains: " + c);
   }
}

edited Sep 20, 2013 at 0:15

ApproachingDarknessFish

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answered Sep 20, 2013 at 0:01

dognose

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Comments

William Falcon · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-20 00:03:40Z

1

If your arrays have strings: (otherwise replace whatever object you are using)

Object first = lists[0];
ArrayList<String> individual = (ArrayList<String>)first;
String itemOne = individual.get(0);

answered Sep 20, 2013 at 0:03

William Falcon

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