Java: How should look an instanceof method

Question

Hi,

Imagine, I want to write a useless method called: isInstanceof that returns a boolean.
I was thinking about it. But I do not get out. An instanceof has to be used like:

[object] instanceof [a classname]

// I was thinking about something like this
public static boolean isInstanceof(Object obj, /*magic for the second param*/)
{
   return obj instanceof /*the magical second param*/
}

But how can I make an parameter for [a classname]? Is there a way to do this without the method isInstance(Class cls) from java.lang.Class?

Thanks

Answer 1

Hehe, yes. Use isAssignableFrom(Class) from Class. Not only is it not isInstance(Class), it also matches the way the instanceof operator works more closely. :)

Other than that, no, there’s not much you can do without those methods from Class.

Answer 2

A dynamic version of

[object] instanceof [a classname]

would be:

Class.forName("a classname").isAssignableFrom(object.getClass());