Re: [lang] Pre 2.0 - StringUtils.isEmpty(), isNotEmpty() and stri ngsa with somespaces

[__matthewHawthorne]

Another option is to throw a NullPointer or IllegalArgument exception on 
any null inputs.  This would simplify the API and remove the need for a 
lot of these extra methods.  In my experience, handling null "nicely" 
leads to a lot of confusion, and usually results in errors being passed 
on to another place.  However, if the behavior is well documented it's 
not so much of a problem.

My point is, adding methods for isNot methods, and isXXXOrNull methods 
may be overkill.  StringUtils is a huge class, one possibility is to 
simplify the current methods, and then have some null-friendly, or 
negated wrappers avalable for it.



Hope, Matthew wrote:

I see no reason for any of the methods we are talking about to distinguish "
x " from "xyz" so lets simplify the set:
I always use Empty to refer to "" never null - I am unaware of anyone doing
any different.
I normally use Whitespace to mean " " etc but NOT "". I am aware some people
differ in this.
I am aware of many people using Blank to mean Empty OR Whitespace...but
could not vouch for it being a semi-formal convention.
Null means null :¬)
: indicates returns true for these entries 
"  " any amount of whitespace > 0

isEmpty() : ""
isEmptyOrNull() : "", null
isWhitespace(): "  "
isWhitespaceOrNull(): "  ", null
isBlank() : "", "  "
isBlankOrNull() : "", "  ", null
or
isEmptyOrWhitespace() : "", "  "
isEmptyOrWhitespaceOrNull() : "", "  ", null
verbose methods I admit but completely interpretation free. make negated
method naming extremely verbose (though still grammatically coreect with
regards the logic)...
isNotEmpty()
isNeitherEmptyNorNull()
isNotWhitespace()
isNeitherWhitespaceNorNull()
isNotBlank()
isNeitherBlankNorNull()
or
isNeitherEmptyNorWhitespace()
isNeitherEmptyNorWhitespaceNorNull()
If people think this is a ludicrously cumbersome api I fully understand, I
can't see any other solution without introducing new (inevitablly)
non-standard terms.
Matt

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Jonker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: 15 July 2003 18:20
To: Jakarta Commons Developers List
Subject: Re: [lang] Pre 2.0 - StringUtils.isEmpty(), 
isNotEmpty() and stri ngsa with somespaces

Hi Stephen, thanks for your comments.

I created definitions because the current system seems to 
have no consistent
definitions, and the one that started the thread, "empty", is 
being used in
a manner contrary (IMO) to the accepted usage.  So I tried to 
come up with a
system that used terms in a consistent and well-defined 
manner, and covers
all of the "interesting" cases.

The notion of 'is "" but not null'  is used quite a bit in 
code I write.  A
null string is a very different beast than a zero-length 
string.  I have it
in my own library, but I'd rather get rid of my code and use commons.

I don't have a problem defining isEmpty to mean (null || "")  as you
implemented, but for my uses there are methods missing, and 
the handling of
null seemed a bit disjointed.  Recognizing that, I tried to 
come up with a
set from scratch that meets my needs and has simple 
terminology.  True,
there are some new terms, but I think they are easy to learn.  YMMV.

.T.

On 7/15/03 12:46 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

   

Actually, thats the problem with the proposal. Lots of definitions.
     

   

Following the recent change, Empty means "" (across various 
     

methods). In
   

addition, the isEmpty() method handles null sensibly. Thats all.

isEmptyTrimmed() is explicit that it uses trim(). Which is good.

Do we need a method 'is "" but not null'? Doesn't make sense to me.

I'll have another look tonight to see if we could use the 
     

term Blank usefully.
   

Stephen

     

from:    Gary Gregory <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Can we come up with a better name than "isTrivial"?

if (StringUtils.isTrivial(hello)) {
}
I still can't recall what that does! ;-)

Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: __matthewHawthorne [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 08:26
To: Jakarta Commons Developers List
Subject: Re: [lang] Pre 2.0 - StringUtils.isEmpty(), 
       

isNotEmpty() and stri
   

ngsa with somespaces

I agree that having both is/isNot methods is convenient, 
       

but I also find
   

it slightly confusing, and it adds more code to maintain.

However, as long as they conform to the standard of:

boolean isNotEmpty(String s) {
   return !isEmpty(s);
}
it will at least keep the code easily maintainable.

Thoughts?



Todd Jonker wrote:

       

Matt, thanks for your comments.

I guess you're right, we should probably add all of the 
         

negated calls:
   

  isEmpty           isNotEmpty
  isWhitespace      isNotWhitespace
  isTrivial         isNotTrivial
  isBlank           isNotBlank
This morning I'm feeling like they should all be 
         

"isNotSomething" for the
   

sake of uniformity with most other code.  At least 
         

there's only one that's
   

incorrect English (to my ears, at leas).

I certainly don't object to the negated methods, it's 
         

just that I tend to
   

prefer the streamlined API.

..T.

On 7/15/03 4:34 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:



         

As a user I agree with the benefits of both proposals 
           

(can't decide which
   

I
       

prefer yet). When I saw the initial proposal I wasn't 
           

happy either but
   

could
       

not come up with a 'complete' solution either.

one point on the first though, I would find in my code 
           

that the vast
   

majority of my use cases would be

if (! isTrivial(s)) {
// do something that assumes a non null / length() > 0 string
}
I dislike overuse of (! someMethod()), especially since 
           

I started doing
   

code
       

maintenace with the help of back browse facilities which 
           

find method usage
   

(rather than more fallible regexp). I would therefore 
           

like isNonTrivial(s)
   

to be provided.

Matt

  

           

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Jonker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 15 July 2003 02:39
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [lang] Pre 2.0 - StringUtils.isEmpty(),
isNotEmpty() and stringsa with somespaces
    

             

<snip>
  

           

I tend to dislike thinks like isNotBlank since it increases
the number of
methods one needs to wade through, but adds no new semantic
expressiveness.
Also, the methods above would lead to isNotTrivial, where
isNonTrivial is much more natural
    

             

<snip>
  

           

         

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