JArrayLiterals

Shortcut methods for creating arrays using array literals.
Instead of new int[][] { {1,2}, {3,4} } do $($(1,2), $(3,4)).

JArrayLiterals could help you write parameter unit tests data in a more concise way.
If your interested in "parameterised tests that don't suck", check out JUnitParams! The shortcut method of that project actually inspired me to make this project.

Example

You can find the complete example in ArrayShortcutsExample:

	public static void simpleExample() {
		/**
		 * JArrayLiterals approach
		 */
		Object[] flat = (Object[])
			$( $b, $(true, false), $($), $S(1,2,3,4), $B(2,3), $('c'), $($null), $, $null );
		testTypes(flat);

		System.out.println();
		
		/**
		 * standard approach
		 */
		Object[] tediousTempVar = new Object[][]{{}};
		Object[][] flat2 = new Object[][]{
				{},
				{true, false},
				tediousTempVar,
				{(short) 1, (short) 2, (short) 3, (short) 4},
				{(byte) 2, (byte) 3},
				{'c'},
				{null},
				{},
				null
		};
		testTypes(flat2);
	}
	
	private static void testTypes(Object[] arr) {
		System.out.println(Arrays.deepToString(arr));
		for (int i=0; i<arr.length; i++) {
			if (arr[i] != null)
				System.out.println(""+i+"th element is typeof "+arr[i].getClass().getSimpleName()+".");
			else
				System.out.println(""+i+"th element is null.");
		}
		
		try {
			testType((Boolean[]) arr[0]);
			testType((Boolean[]) arr[1]);
		} catch (ClassCastException e) {
			System.out.println("Nay :(! Type of array can't be cast Boolean[]!");
		}
	}
	
	private static void testType(Boolean[] arr) {
		System.out.println("Yay :)! Type of array can be cast to Boolean[]!");
	}

Gives the output:

// JArrayLiterals apporach
[[], [true, false], [[]], [1, 2, 3, 4], [2, 3], [c], [null], [], null]
0th element is typeof Boolean[].
1th element is typeof Boolean[].
2th element is typeof Object[][].
3th element is typeof Short[].
4th element is typeof Byte[].
5th element is typeof Character[].
6th element is typeof Void[].
7th element is typeof Object[].
8th element is null.
Yay :)! Type of array can be cast to Boolean[]!
Yay :)! Type of array can be cast to Boolean[]!

// standard apporach
[[], [true, false], [[]], [1, 2, 3, 4], [2, 3], [c], [null], [], null]
0th element is typeof Object[].
1th element is typeof Object[].
2th element is typeof Object[][].
3th element is typeof Object[].
4th element is typeof Object[].
5th element is typeof Object[].
6th element is typeof Object[].
7th element is typeof Object[].
8th element is null.
Nay :(! Type of array can't be cast Boolean[]!

Benefits:

• readable and flexible
• elements are of the expected type
• create arrays with correct dimension dynamically
• utility methods that cast all bytes or shorts

Caveats:

• User arrays (that are contained in a variable or generated as a return value of a function) need to be cast to Object before passing to the $ method, if that array should be interpreted as a single argument, rather than a list of arguments.
• Creating arrays of mixed super- and subclass types will not be of the type of the least common ancestor class. They will be Object[] arrays instead. (TODO)

JavaDoc

You can find the docs on the JArrayLiteral's Github Pages.

Source

You can find the source in ArrayShortcuts. To use the shortcut methods you do a static import of the class.

Tests

You can find the tests in ArrayShortcutsTest. There you can see JArrayLiterals used for testing itself with the help of JUnitParams!

Misc

Open issues and/or open pull requests. Any suggestions are welcome!

Copyright 2013 mucaho provided by Apache License 2.0 (see LICENSE and NOTICE).