Unable to print the values of an instance of my model - class

Question

I know this is a very fundamental question but answer to this will solve many of my doubts.
val new_parent = ParentDetails(intent.extras.getString("name"),
intent.extras.getString("email"),
intent.extras.getString("parent_relation"),
intent.extras.getString("locationdata"))
println(new_parent.tostring())
The code above doesn't print the various fields and their values present in the class.
The ParentDetails is a model I have created with some fields that are initialized. The ParentDetails model:
class ParentDetails {
var parent_id: Int = 0
var parent_name: String = ""
var parent_email: String = ""
var parent_relation: String = ""
var parent_location: String=""
constructor(parent_name: String, parent_email: String, parent_relation: String,parent_location:String) {
this.parent_name = parent_name
this.parent_email = parent_email
this.parent_relation = parent_relation
this.parent_location = parent_location
}
public fun getparentId(): Int {
return parent_id
}
fun ParentDetailsprintme() {
println(parent_name)
println(parent_email)
println(parent_relation)
println(parent_location)
}
}
In fact, it prints null and accessing individual fields, it prints empty string(the way it was initialized).
How do we explain this?

Answer 1

As I understand your problem is that calling println(new_parent.tostring()) does not print what you would like to print in function ParentDetailsprintme.
First of all, you have a typo, the correct call would be new_parent.toString().
Note that it could have been simplified as println(new_parent).
It does not print that you defined in the ParentDetailsprintme method, as the method is not called.
What println(new_parent.toString()) prints, is actually the hashcode of the object, as this is the default behaviour of every object.
To make it work call it like println(new_parent.ParentDetailsprintme()) or override the toString() method for example as:
override fun toString() = "$parent_name $parent_email $parent_relation $parent_location"
then the following
val new_parent = ParentDetails("myName", "myEmail", "myParent_relation", "myLocationdata")
println(new_parent)
should print
myName myEmail myParent_relation myLocationdata
Kotlin's println function simply calls System.out.println(message) under the hood which will call String.valueOf() (e.g. String.valueOf(Object object) for objects, which will call the toString() method of the passed object).
/** Prints the given message and newline to the standard output stream. */
#kotlin.internal.InlineOnly
public inline fun println(message: CharArray) {
System.out.println(message)
}
Update ("Using data class method also works"):
If you make the class to be a data class:
data class ParentDetails(
val parent_id: Int = 0,
val parent_name: String = "",
val parent_email: String = "",
val parent_relation: String = "",
val parent_location: String = ""
)
and then you execute
val new_parent = ParentDetails(0, "myName", "myEmail", "myParent_relation", "myLocationdata")
println(new_parent)
you will receive as result
ParentDetails(parent_id=0, parent_name=myName, parent_email=myEmail, parent_relation=myParent_relation, parent_location=myLocationdata)
This is because data classes override the toString() function:
The compiler automatically derives the following members from all
properties declared in the primary constructor:
equals()/hashCode() pair;
toString() of the form "User(name=John, age=42)";

Answer 2

Did you check that you receive valid data from your intent.extras?
Also I suggest you use data class for your models.
It will look something like this:
data class ParentDetails(
var parent_id: Int = 0,
var parent_name: String = "",
var parent_email: String = "",
var parent_relation: String = "",
var parent_location: String = ""
)
You will be able to use it like this :
val new_parent = ParentDetails(
parent_name = intent.extras.getString("name"),
parent_email = intent.extras.getString("email"),
parent_relation = intent.extras.getString("parent_relation"),
parent_location = intent.extras.getString("locationdata")
)
println(new_parent.tostring())

Answer 3

As already mentioned, you have a typo. toString returns the hashcode of an object unless it's overridden to return something else. Look up the original implementation for more details.
By overriding the toString method, you change what it returns, and through that, what is printed when you print(someClass). DVarga showed that in their answer.
Data classes auto-generate a toString method containing the content of the class. So creating a data class is a shortcut to getting output containing the data.
The reason the method you had didn't work is because you didn't call it. if you call it instead of toString, you would get the data printed.
Also, toString is explicitly called when you print a class. You don't need to call print(someInstance.toString()), print(someInstance) is enough.
And while I'm writing an answer, you don't need to use secondary constructors in Kotlin. Primary constructors would shorten your code significantly, whether it's a data class or not. Also, you should look into naming conventions.