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Message:

null instanceof Object == false

Posted by Steven Pearson on August 14, 2000 at 9:10 AM

> I saw this simpler code elsewhere:

> public boolean equals(Object obj)
> {
> if (obj != null && (obj instanceof this.getClass()))

> Is this OK? Or are there any hidden glitches in this that aren't apparent to me?

Looks fine to me.

I think this is even simpler though

if( ! (obj instanceof this.getClass() )
return false;

// Safe Cast and compare

The language spec says that instanceof returns false if obj is null.

Section 15.20.2 Type Comparison Operator instanceof

If you're interested =)