polymorphism - (Java) Is there a type of object that can handle anything from primitives to arrays? -

i'm pretty new java, i'm hoping 1 of guys knows how this. i'm having user specify both type , value of arguments, in xml-like way, passed methods external application.

example: javac myappsname externaljavaclass methodofexternalclass [parameters]

of course, find proper method, have have proper parameter types method may overloaded , that's way tell difference between different versions. parameters formatted in manner:

(type)value(/type), e.g. (int)71(/int) (string)this string i'm passing parameter!(/string)

i parse them, getting constructor whatever type indicated, execute constructor running method, newinstance(<string value>), loading new instance object. works fine , dandy, know, methods take arrays, or multi-dimensional arrays.

i handle argument formatting so: (array)(array)(int)0(/int)(int)1(/int)(/array)(array)(int)2(/int)(int)3(/int)(/array)(/array)... or perhaps better... {{(int)0(/int)(int)1(/int)}{(int)2(/int)(int)3(/int)}}.

the question is, how can implemented? have start wrapping in object[] array can handle primitives, etc. argobj[0], load array would? (unfortunately, have make object[][] array if wanted support two-dimensional arrays. implementation wouldn't pretty.)

i think looking here way dynamically call java methods based on attributes described inside xml file.

if that's case, can explore java reflection api.

example class:

package foo; public class bar {      public void dosomething(string x) {         system.out.println("this method dosomething takes in string parameter");     }      public void dosomething(string [] arr, string str) {         system.out.println("this method dosomething takes in string arr parameter , string parameter");     } } 

to dynamically use methods in class, following:

class c = class.forname("foo.bar"); object newinstance = c.newinstance(); method method = c.getmethod("dosomething", string.class); // locate first method method.invoke(newinstance, "hello world");  method method = c.getmethod("dosomething", string[].class, string.class); // locate second method  string [] arr = {"hello", "world"}; method.invoke(newinstance, arr, "hello world"); 

so can specify in xml file follows:

<method>     <name>dosomething</name>     <params>         <param>java.lang.string</param>     </params> </method> <method>     <name>dosomething</name>     <params>         <param>java.lang.string[]</param>   // or other annotation indicate arr         <param>java.lang.string</param>     </params> </method> 

then, read xml file , use find java methods dynamically.

to dynamically create array:

class c = class.forname("java.lang.string"); int length = 5; object o = array.newinstance(c, length); // o string arr of length 5 string [] arr = (string []) o;