CodeSOD: Using the Old Bean

If you write a lot of Java, you’re going to end up writing a lot of getters and setters. Without debating the merits of loads of getters and setters versus bare properties, ideally, getters and setters are the easiest code to write. Many IDEs will just generate them for you! How can you screw up getters and setters?

Well, Dave found someone who could.

<span class="hljs-keyword">private</span> ReportDatesDao reportDatesDao;
<span class="hljs-meta">@Resource(name = CensusDao.BEAN_NAME)</span>
<span class="hljs-keyword">public</span> <span class="hljs-keyword">void</span> <span class="hljs-title function_">setAuditDao</span><span class="hljs-params">(CensusDao censusDao)</span> {
   <span class="hljs-built_in">this</span>.reportDatesDao = reportDatesDao;
}

The function is called setAuditDao, takes a CensusDao input, but manipulates reportDatesDao, because clearly someone copy/pasted and didn’t think about what they were doing.

The result, however, is that this just sets this.reportDatesDao equal to itself.

I’m always impressed by code which given the chance to make multiple decisions makes every wrong choice, even if it is just lazy copy/paste.

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