Creative Solutions to Already Solved Problems is our name for the ridiculous code that our team has found in our project. These show a massive lack of understanding of common Java constructs and tools. Unfortunately, these examples are real and we had plenty to choose from.

1. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Creative Solutions to
Already Solved Problems
Gene Gotimer

2. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Let us help you
Please think before you code
Your IDE will warn you
Analysis will point out problems
It’s dangerous to go alone. Ask for help

3. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Make sure it is imported
import java.util.Date;
import java.lang.Boolean;
import java.lang.Boolean;
import java.sql.Timestamp;
import java.lang.Boolean;
import java.lang.Boolean;
import java.lang.Boolean;
import java.util.Date;
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4. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Make sure it is really a String
ArrayList<String> xqueries = new ArrayList<String>();
xqueries.add("/EnrollReq/SenderID/text()");
xqueries.add("/EnrollReq/TransInfo/CurrentTime/text()");
List<String> forMap = execXPath(xqueries.get(0).toString());
if(forMap.size() > 0){
retMap.put("SenderID", forMap.get(0).toString());
}else{
retMap.put("SenderID", "");
}

5. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 5@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Trust issues with version control
LinkUsers.java
LinkUsers.javaold
LoginAccountImpl.java
ManageAcctImpl.java
ManageAcctImpl.java_OLD
AppDaoImpl.javanew

6. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 6@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Concrete Strategy Factory Pattern
public class EnrollStrategyFactory {
private static EnrollStrategyFactory strtgyFctry = null;
private EnrollStrategy strtgy = new EnrollStrategy();
…
public EnrollStrategy getStrategy() {
return strtgy;
}
}
public class EnrollStrategy {…}

7. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 7@CoverosGene #CodeMash
That darned ternary operator
boolean srcReuseData;
srcReuseData = (true ? this.isReuseData():false);
So when true is true,
srcReuseData = this.isReuseData().
If true is not true,
srcReuseData = false and maybe chaos?

8. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 8@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Spell it all out
boolean boolResult = false;
if (hashResult > 0)
boolResult = true;
else
boolResult = false;
assertEquals("HashCode returned was not returned",
true, boolResult);
as opposed to
assertTrue("HashCode should be a positive integer",
hashResult > 0);

9. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Never don’t be not clear
fail("Did not throw a configuration exception when MyParser
was not configured with mappings");
fail("Did not throw a configuration exception when the
configuration property for MyParser had an
invalid value");
fail("Did not throw a configuration exception when MyParser
configuration referenced a role that does
not exist");

10. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 10@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Always check for blank. Always.
if (!(retrievedList == null
|| "".equals(retrievedList))) {
if (person.getBirthDate() != null
&& !person.getBirthDate().equals("")) {
if (person.getGender() != null
&& !person.getGender().equals("")) {
if (org.getPeriodEndDate() != null
&& !org.getPeriodEndDate().equals("")) {
String[]
java.util.Date
pkg.Gender
java.util.Date

11. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 11@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Just snuck over the limit

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Strive to be #1
3004 public static MemberEvent memberEventMapper(
3005 MemberEventDTO memberEventDto) {
3006 MemberEvent memberEvent = new MemberEvent();
…
4336 return memberEvent;
4337 }
Method lines of code: 1,334 (top is 1,793)
Method complexity: 256 #1

13. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 13@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Just a simple DTO
1 …
comments and annotations
1346 public class PersonResultsDTO
1347 {
…
43734 }
43735

14. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 14@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Test all the things, literally
for (Method method : object.getClass().getMethods()) {
if (method.getName.startsWith("set")) {
if (method.getParameterTypes().length > 0) {
Class paramClass = method.getParameterTypes()[0];
if (paramClass.getName.equals("java.lang.String")) {
method.invoke(object, "JUNIT TEST");
} else if (paramClass.getName.equals("java.lang.Object")) {
method.invoke(object, new Object());
} else if (paramClass.getName.equals("java.util.Date")) {
method.invoke(object, new java.util.Date());
} else if (paramClass.getName.equals("java.math.BigDecimal")) {
method.invoke(object, new BigDecimal(100));

15. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 15@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Well, I can’t just leave it empty
try {
…
} catch (Exception e) {
e.getMessage();
}

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Exception inception
try {
…
} catch (Exception e) {
try {
throw e;
} catch (Exception e1) {
e1.printStackTrace();
}
}

17. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 17@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Tests have exceptions, too
public Member generateTestMember(){
Member member = new Member();
…
return null;
}
@Test(expected = RuntimeException.class)
public void testAddTaxCreditSuccess() throws Exception {
Member person = generateTestMember();
String spouseId = person.findSpouseId();
assertNotNull(service.addTaxCredit(person, spouseId));
}
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18. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 18@CoverosGene #CodeMash
I’d like to buy a constant
public static final String DASH = "-";
public static final String MANAGE_ACTION_0 = "0";
public static final String MANAGE_ACTION_1 = "1";
public static final String MANAGE_ACTION_2 = "2";
public static final String MANAGE_ACTION_3 = "3";
public static final String MANAGE_ACTION_4 = "4";
…
public static final String MANAGE_ACTION_17 = "17";

19. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 19@CoverosGene #CodeMash
Just give them descriptive names
// BigInteger ONE
public static final BigInteger BIGINTEGER_ONE = BigInteger.ONE;
// BigInteger ZERO
public static final BigInteger BIGINTEGER_ZERO = BigInteger.ZERO;
// BIGDECIMAL ZERO
public static final BigDecimal BIGDECIMAL_ZERO = BigDecimal.ZERO;
/** The Constant Y_INDICATOR. */
protected static final String Y_INDICATOR = "Y";
/** The Constant N_INDICATOR. */
protected static final String N_INDICATOR = "N";

20. © COPYRIGHT 2019 COVEROS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 20@CoverosGene #CodeMash
What if the values change?
public static final boolean BOOL_TRUE = true;
public static final boolean BOOL_FALSE = false;