RE: Reflection Usage

I have a rule, if it can be done without reflection then do it that way.

As performing the same operation in reflection takes more code and more CPU.

However the trade in CPU for reflection is more than made up for by its
extreme power.

I'd say if reflection will do what you want, and there isn't a way to do it
without reflection then..... get reflecting.

When I am using reflection I always try to cast any objects that I have
created to an Interface as this means I can use the well known properties on
that object in an early bound manner.

Have fun.

-----Original Message-----
From: java400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:java400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of James Perkins
Sent: 13 May 2009 17:28
To: Java Programming on and around the iSeries / AS400
Subject: Reflection Usage

Hi All,
I am working on a project to perform a search over a Lucene index. I have
created a bean that will be used to store the information for the index.

I want to make the classes that create the index and search the index as
generic as possible. I had an idea to use reflection to set the values for
the fields in the bean. This would allow me to add fields to the bean
without having to change the index classes.

So the question is, would this be an appropriate use for reflection? I've
never really used reflection before so I don't want to go down this path and
find out I was wrong later.

Also, anybody looking for a good search engine, Lucene is brilliant.

Thank in advance,
--
James R. Perkins