getTargetType() and getParameterizedTypeArguments() represents types/classes differently

[Elisedlund]

StringToTypeParserHelper contains:
public Type getTargetType()
public List<Class<?>> getParameterizedTypeArguments()
why doesn't getTargetType also return a class?

what I'am saying is getTargetType() and getParameterizedTypeArguments() could be aligned more.

[drapostolos]

The reason getTargetType() does not return a Class<?> is cos it could return a generic type, where java.reflection.Type contains information about it's type arguments and Class<?> doesn't.

The only reason getParameterizedTypeArguments() does not return a java.reflection.Type is that Generic types of other generic types (and so on) are not supported (perhaps for no reason?).

But, I agree with you, the method names suggests they return the same type. some solutions are:

• Let getParameterizedTypeArguments() return a List<Type>
• Change name to getParameterizedClassArguments()

The 1st option is perhaps more generic, or maybe add both methods? getParameterizedTypeArguments(), getParameterizedClassArguments()

[Elisedlund]

"The reason getTargetType() does not return a Class<?> is cos it could return a generic type, where"
Can't see why "Type" contains more generic Information than "Class" except if you cast it to ParameterizedType

What I do now because I need the class is:
(Class<?>) helper.getTargetType();

Maybe both methods could exist.
helper.getTargetType();
helper.getTargetClass();

[drapostolos]

The reason Type is return from getTargetType is in case someone wants to cast it to a ParameterizedType and retrieve the generic information. Additionally, casting a ParameterizedType type to Class<?> will cause a ClassCastException.

Seems reasonable to add a helper.getTargetClass() method. The method could include error handling to provide a better exception/error message (rather than a ClassCastException) when casting ParameterizedType to Class<?>.

[drapostolos]

This is pushed to master:

Added new method:
public <T> Class<T> getTargetClass() which handles the casting from Class<?> to Class internally. No need for ugly unchecked castings in client code.

Renamed to:
public <T> List<Class<T>> getParameterizedClassArguments(), which now also handles the casting to Class internally.

Added new method:
public <T> Class<T> getParameterizedClassArgumentByIndex(int index)
Convenient method for retrieving elements by index position in the list as returned from above method.

[Elisedlund]

Looks nice.
Tried getTargetClass() and it works as expected.

[drapostolos]

Now available in v0.2.0.