JDK 1.5 issue - The getter method of boolean property gets invoked incorrectly

Question

Java bean Format:

public class Format extends HibernateBean implements Serializable {

  private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(Format.class);
  private Long id;
  private boolean isQualifyFormat;

  ...other fields

  public Long getId() {
    return id;
  }

  public void setId(Long id) {
    this.id = id;
  }

  **//static method, it's exposed to a HttpServlet**
  public static Format getQualifyFormat() throws HibernateException {        
    log.debug("getQualifyFormat");
    ...
  }

  /**
   * @hibernate.property column="df_isqualifyinglistformat" type="boolean"
   * @return boolean
   */
  public boolean isQualifyFormat() {
     log.debug ("isQualifyFormat");
     return isQualifyingListFormat;
  }

  public void setQualifyFormat(boolean qualifyFormat) {
      isQualifyingListFormat = qualifyingListFormat;
  }  
  ...

 }

Hibernate mapping file, Format.hbm.xml

 <hibernate-mapping>
 <class
    name="Format"
    table="dbo.mc_distribution_format"
    schema="data"    
  >

  <id
      name="id"
      column="df_formatid"
      type="java.lang.Long"
   >
      <generator class="native"></generator>
   </id>      
   <property
       name="qualifyFormat"
       type="boolean"
       update="true"
       insert="true"
       column="df_isqualifyformat"
    />

In theoretically, method isQualifyFormat of bean Format should be invoked in Hibernate persistense process for bean Format. As far as I know, the getter of Boolean property can be pattern is- or get-. Method is- has the priority if both are available in the bean.

But, it works well in most cases except case: If there has any code refers to the static method, Format.getQualifyFormat, in the same jar package. The above getQualifyFormat method is invoked instead somehow even it's static and there already has the is-.

This happens when i upgraded my code to JDK 1.5. It was good in JDK 1.4. I guess this might be caused by issue of reflection improvement in JDk 1.5, does jdk/jre parses code and finds reference of static method getQualifyFormat in compiling time, then caches it as the default getter of property qualifyFormat?

Any ideas?

Answer 1

If you want things to work properly, you must use the appropriate conventions.

If you field name is xyz

• the accessor ("getter") is called getXyz() (it may and should also be called isXyz() iff xyz is of type boolean)
• the mutator ("setter") is called setXyz() and must return void

If you don't adhere to these conventions, Java bean methods won't work, and those are used by almost every framework there is out there.

Also, having a static getXyz() method next to an isXyz() method is asking for trouble, to say the least. I don't know if it works, but it's awfully confusing.

In my personal opinion, a class that has bean properties should not have any other methods named get*, set* or is* if they are not getters or setters to make the method intents clearer.