Every decent Java IDE supports code generation and code re-factoring, right? We have reckon that the 80:20 rule applies in reverse here: 20% of the code generation features available do 80% of the code generation used by most developers. So, The Squealer is aimed at the essential features only. Currently this is Java accessor method generation and an experimental form of Value Object generation (from a SQL statement).

Accessor methods (or get/set methods for your class fields) are essential to maintain encapsulation of your classes, but yet are all identical. The Squealer allows you to generate accessor methods for all fields in a class or a selection of fields (using the Windows clipboard to pass the selected fields from your editor to The Squealer).

Why the Output is So Terse

The methods are grouped into set() and get() methods by alphabetical order. The output is optimised for space reasons (to a limit of 80 characters) because we believe accessor methods to be the lowest form of code: nobody should every have to study them or have comments/Javadoc to explain them.

Because of this we like to squeeze them into as small a chunk of nicely formatted code that we can. They also break most rules for variable naming conventions, but again we consider them an exception to the normal rules: these methods should really be provided by the Java compiler based on some keyword on the fields.

The key characteristic of Squealer code generation is that it is unobtrusive. We aim not to modify your source files. We will auto-generate stuff and put it in your editor's Results window. It's up to you to take the output and integrate it back in to your code. We feel this is a much safer way to work. Plus it means you can see clearly what The Squealer's doing.

Examples

        
    Current project is: test
    Squealer Code Generation Version 0.16
    Creating Getter and Setter methods for file SessionVO.java
    Created 14 accessor methods
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        public void setEmailAddress(String s)         { emailAddress_i = s;        }
        public void setInternalSession(EJBObject e)   { internalSession_i = e;     }
        public void setPasswordExpired(boolean b)     { passwordExpired_i = b;     }
        public void setPrivileges(HashMap h)          { privileges_i = h;          }
        public void setRoles(HashMap h)               { roles_i = h;               }
        public void setUserPK(UserPK u)               { userPK_i = u;              }
        public void setUsername(String s)             { username_i = s;            }
        public String     getEmailAddress()           { return emailAddress_i;     }
        public EJBObject  getInternalSession()        { return internalSession_i;  }
        public boolean    getPasswordExpired()        { return passwordExpired_i;  }
        public HashMap    getPrivileges()             { return privileges_i;       }
        public HashMap    getRoles()                  { return roles_i;            }
        public UserPK     getUserPK()                 { return userPK_i;           }
        public String     getUsername()               { return username_i;         }