Java Flow Control Problem

Answer 1

Why not simply return, i.e.,

public void updateEvent() { 
    //object's update event 
    remove(this); 
    return;   
    //obviously unreachable 
    System.out.println("Should never reach here!");     }

Answer 2

Why don't you just:

• Maintain the objectList in the object that runs the loop
• Don't let the GameObjects have access to the list (why should they?)
• Have the updateEvent function return a boolean. If the return value is false, the parent object removes that object from the list of events. The return statement also serves to terminate execution of the event function.

Answer 3

@jball's answer is great-- +1.

Another method I've used that works well and might be slightly cleaner is to have your updateEvent() method return a boolean. Whenever a True is returned from updateEvent, you remove() the object.

This allows your event loop to have more control over how the loop itself is executed and removes a little bit of unnecessary binding between your classes.

Answer 4

I agree that the exception approach is the best way to implement the remove method according to your specification.

However, maybe you should reconsider the specification. I would leave the decision of when updateEvent terminates to the implementor. Termination with the remove() call is confusing, and requires usage of exceptions for flow control. I believe that the call to remove() should only change the flag state. And I see no real problem with looping over all objects, checking the removed flag for each of them.