Wrapper classes in Java allow primitive data types to be used as objects. The wrapper classes (Integer, Long, etc.) convert between primitive types and their corresponding object types. Each primitive type has a corresponding wrapper class that "wraps" the primitive type in an object. This allows primitive types to be used in situations that require object types, like collections.
Wrapper classes in Java allow primitive data types to be used as objects. The wrapper classes (Integer, Long, etc.) convert between primitive types and their corresponding object types. Each primitive type has a corresponding wrapper class that "wraps" the primitive type in an object. This allows primitive types to be used in situations that require object types, like collections.
Wrapper classes in Java allow primitive data types to be used as objects. The wrapper classes (Integer, Long, etc.) convert between primitive types and their corresponding object types. Each primitive type has a corresponding wrapper class that "wraps" the primitive type in an object. This allows primitive types to be used in situations that require object types, like collections.
Wrapper classes in Java allow primitive data types to be used as objects. The wrapper classes (Integer, Long, etc.) convert between primitive types and their corresponding object types. Each primitive type has a corresponding wrapper class that "wraps" the primitive type in an object. This allows primitive types to be used in situations that require object types, like collections.
Department of Computer Science Khwaja Fareed University Of Engineering and Information Technology Wrapper classes in java For each and every fundamental data type there exist a pre-defined class, Such predefined class is known as wrapper class. The purpose of wrapper class is to convert numeric string data into numerical or fundamental data. Cont.. All the wrapper classes (Integer, Long, Byte, Double, Float, Short) are subclasses of the abstract class Number. The object of the wrapper class contains or wraps its respective primitive data type. Converting primitive data types into object is called boxing, and this is taken care by the compiler. Therefore, while using a wrapper class you just need to pass the value of the primitive data type to the constructor of the Wrapper class. And the Wrapper object will be converted back to a primitive data type, and this process is called unboxing. The Number class is part of the java.lang package. Cont.. Each of Java's eight primitive data types has a class dedicated to it. These are known as wrapper classes because they "wrap" the primitive data type into an object of that class. The wrapper classes are part of the java.lang package, which is imported by default into all Java programs.
The primary purpose of wrapper classes in java is.
To provide an variety of utility functions for primitives like converting primitive types to and from string objects, converting to various bases like binary, octal or hexadecimal, or comparing various objects. Cont.. The following two statements illustrate the difference between a primitive data type and an object of a wrapper class: int x = 25; Integer y = new Integer(33); The first statement declares an int variable named x and initializes it with the value 25. The second statement instantiates an Integer object. The object is initialized with the value 33 and a reference to the object is assigned to the object variable y. Use of the Wrapper Classes • Java’s primitive data types (boolean, int, etc.) are not classes. • Wrapper classes are used in situations where objects are required, such as for elements of a Collection: List<Integer> a = new ArrayList<Integer>(); methodRequiringListOfIntegers(a); Value => Object: Wrapper Object Creation Wrapper.valueOf() takes a value (or string) and returns an object of that class:
Long n1 = Long.valueOf(42000000L); Long n1 = Long.valueOf(“42000000L”); Object => Value Each wrapper class Type has a method typeValue to obtain the object’s value:
=> 42 false Why use wrapper classes ? We know that in java whenever we get input form user, it is in the form of string value so here we need to convert these string values in different datatype (numerical or fundamental data), for this conversion we use wrapper classes. ` Example class WraperDemo { public static void main(String[] args) { String s[] = {"10", "20"}; System.out.println("Sum before:"+ s[0] + s[1]); // 1020 int x=Integer.parseInt(s[0]); // convert String to Integer int y=Integer.parseInt(s[1]); // convert String to Integer int z=x+y; System.out.println("sum after: "+z); // 30 } } Explanation of Example In the above example 10 and 20 are store in String array and next we convert these values in Integer using "int x=Integer.parseInt(s[0]);" and "int y=Integer.parseInt(s[1]);" statement In "System.out.println("Sum before:"+ s[0] + s[1]);" Statement normally add two string and output is 1020 because these are String numeric type not number. Converting String data into fundamental or numerical We know that every command line argument of java program is available in the main() method in the form of array of object of string class on String data, one can not perform numerical operation. To perform numerical operation it is highly desirable to convert numeric String into fundamental numeric value. Example "10" --> numeric String --> only numeric string convert into numeric type or value. "10x" --> alpha-numeric type --> this is not conversion. "ABC" --> non-numeric String no conversion. "A" --> char String no conversion. List of Wrapper Classes Below table lists wrapper classes in Java API with constructor details.
Primitive Wrapper Class Constructor Argument
boolean Boolean boolean or String byte Byte byte or String char Character char int Integer int or String float Float float, double or String double Double double or String long Long long or String short Short short or String Fundamental data type and corresponding wrapper classes The following table gives fundamental data type corresponding wrapper class name and conversion method from numerical String into numerical values or fundamental value.
Fundamental Wrapper Conversion method from numeric string into
DataType CalssName fundamental or numeric value byte Byte public static byte parseByte(String) short Short public static short parseShort(String) int Integer public static integer parseInt(String) long Long public static long parseLong(String) float Float public static float parseFloat(String) double Double public static double parseDouble(String) boolean Boolean public static boolean parseBoolean(String) wrapper class hierarchy as per Java API The most common methods of the Integer wrapper class Method Purpose
parseInt(s) returns a signed decimal integer value equivalent to string s
toString(i) returns a new String object representing the integer i byteValue() returns the value of this Integer as a byte doubleValue() returns the value of this Integer as a double floatValue() returns the value of this Integer as a float intValue() returns the value of this Integer as an int shortValue() returns the value of this Integer as a short longValue() returns the value of this Integer as a long int compareTo(int i) Compares the numerical value of the invoking object with that of i. Returns 0 if the values are equal. Returns a negative value if the invoking object has a lower value. Returns a positive value if the invoking object has a greater value. static int compare(int Compares the values of num1 and num2. Returns 0 if the values are equal. num1, int num2) Returns a negative value if num1 is less than num2. Returns a positive value if num1 is greater than num2. boolean equals(Object Returns true if the invoking Integer object is equivalent to intObj. Otherwise, it intObj) returns false. How to use wrapper class methods
All the wrapper class methods are static in nature so
we need to call these method using class.methodName(). • for Integer: int x=Integer.parseInt(String); • for float: float x=Float.parseFloat(String); • For double: double x=Double.parseDouble(String); Each and every wrapper class contains the following generalized method for converting numeric String into fundamental values. Type conversion in Java Type conversion in Java When you assign value of one data type to another, the two types might not be compatible with each other. If the data types are compatible, then Java will perform the conversion automatically known as Automatic Type Conversion and if not then they need to be casted or converted explicitly. For example, assigning an int value to a long variable. Assigning a value of one type to a variable of another type is known as Type Casting. Cont… In Java, type casting is classified into two types, Widening Casting(Implicit)
Narrowing Casting(Explicitly done)
Example :Implicit Conversion public class Test { public static void main(String[] args) { int i = 100; long l = i; //no explicit type casting required float f = l; //no explicit type casting required System.out.println("Int value "+i); System.out.println("Long value "+l); System.out.println("Float value "+f); }
} Narrowing or Explicit type conversion When you are assigning a larger type value to a variable of smaller type, then you need to perform explicit type casting. Example public class Test { public static void main(String[] args) { double d = 100.04; long l = (long)d; //explicit type casting required int i = (int)l; //explicit type casting required System.out.println("Double value "+d); System.out.println("Long value "+l); System.out.println("Int value "+i); }}
