B4J Code Snippet Emulate javas ability to have default and value constructors in B4J

Java can have multiple constructors for a class that can take none or more parameters

With B4J we have the Initialize sub in a class - we can add parameters if we want, but what if sometimes we want to add parameters and other times we want a default constructor.

'A simple class
Sub Class_Globals
    Public parent As Pair
    Public f As Double
    Public g As Double
    Public h As Double
End Sub

the Initialize

Public Sub Initialize

End Sub

This will create the class with default values

If we want to set the values we have to initialize the class then apply the values to it

Dim a As myClass
myClass.Initialize
myClass.var1 = 2   ' assuming var1 is public or else we need setter/getters

Now if we change Initialize to take parameters we can't create a default class

Unless we use this type of Initialize (this code is taken from actual code I am writing at present)

Sub Class_Globals
    Public parent As Pair
    Public f As Double
    Public g As Double
    Public h As Double
End Sub

Public Sub Initialize(obj() As Object)
    If obj = Null Then
        Dim tmpParent As Pair
        tmpParent.Initialize(-1,-1)
        parent = tmpParent
        f = -1
        g = -1
        h = -1
        Log("called with null")
    Else
        parent = obj(0)
        f = obj(1)
        g = obj(2)
        h = obj(3)
        Log("called with values")
     End If
End Sub

Basically if you call the Initialize like

Dim a As myClass
a.Initialize(null)
...

You get the default constructor.

If you call it like

Dim a As myClass
a.Initialize(Array(p,1,2,3))
...

You set all the values to the parameters you put in the array.

Hope this is useful to others.