Java Pitfalls

This book was designed to save Java programmers from the backbreaking chore of digging out from problems caused by Java's inherent flaws. Java programming guru Michael Daconta provides proven solutions to 50 difficult problems commonly encountered by Java programmers. He provides workarounds for problems caused by shortcomings in both the Java language itself and in its APIs and utilities, including java.util, java.io, java.awt, and javax.swing. He also explains how to solve common performance-limiting problems that can beset Java applications—an area of critical concern for programmers who develop mission-critical enterprise applications.

Table of contents

Language Syntax.

When is an "Overridden" Method Not Really Overridden'

Usage of String Equals() Method Vice The "=="Operator.

Java is Strongly Typed.

Is That a Constructor?

Cannot Access Overridden Methods.

Avoid the "Hidden Field" Pitfall.

Forward References.

Design Constructors for Extension.

Passing Primitives by Reference.

Boolean Logic and Short-Circuit Operators.

Language Support.

Reclaiming References When Using SoftReference Objects.

Causing Deadlock by Calling a Synchronized Method from a Synchronized Method.

Properly Cloning an Object.

Overriding the Equals Method.

Avoid Using Constructor for Implementing Clone().

Method Dispatching with Reflection, Interfaces and Anonymous Classes.

Handling Exceptions and OutOfMemoryError.

Utilities And Collections.

Ordered Property Keys'

Handling Occasionally Huge Collections with Caching and Persistence.

Property File or ResourceBundle?

Properties Object Pitfalls.

Using Vector as a Collection Instead of Old API.

Input/Out.

Serialization.

Streams, Unicode, and UTF.

Sending Serialized Objects Over Sockets.

Try, Catch... Finally?

Flushing Image Resources.

GUI Presentation.

Providing Progress Feedback.

Using Repaint () Instead of Validate () for Re-Layout of Components.

Z-Order and Overlapping Components.

Solving the Validate, Revalidate, Invidate Mystery.

Stacking Items Vertically.

How to Use GridBagLayout Properly.

Avoiding Flicker.

Embedded HTML in GUI Components.

GUI Control.

Better Data Validation.

Desensitizing GUI Components Based on Application State.

Use Threads in Event Handlers to Avoid Freezing Your GUI.

Model View Controller and JTree.

How to Data Transfer Something Other than Text.

A Key Listener that Doesn't Listen'

Printing Text, HTML, and Images in a JEditorPane.

Performance.

Lazy Loading Our Way to Better Performance.

Using Object Pools for Excessive Object Creation.

Performance Watch: Array vs Vector.

Avoid Using Temporary Arrays for Dynamic Array Growth.

Use StringBuffer Instead of '+' for Concatenation Inside a Loop.

Miscellaneous.

Is There a Better Way to Debug?

Encapsulating JNI Calls Though Interfaces.

Assertions.