java reflection: getMethods function not showing a method

Question

import java.lang.reflect.Method;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class Test
{
     public static void main(String s[]) throws ClassNotFoundException
     {
        Class cls = Class.forName("Test");
        System.out.println("Class is "+cls);
        Method[] mtds = cls.getMethods();
        System.out.println("Methods are "+Arrays.deepToString(mtds));  // not having all methods
    }

    void reflectionTestMethod()
    {
        System.out.println("test");
    }
}

Output is

Class is class Test

Methods are [public static void Test.main(java.lang.String[]) throws java.lang.ClassNotFoundException, public final void java.lang.Object.wait() throws java.lang.InterruptedException, public final native void java.lang.Object.wait(long) throws java.lang.InterruptedException, public final void java.lang.Object.wait(long,int) throws java.lang.InterruptedException, public boolean java.lang.Object.equals(java.lang.Object), public java.lang.String java.lang.Object.toString(), public native int java.lang.Object.hashCode(), public final native java.lang.Class java.lang.Object.getClass(), public final native void java.lang.Object.notify(), public final native void java.lang.Object.notifyAll()]

Why is reflectionTestMethod() not available in the output ?

lsoliveira · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-07 11:41:48Z

22

getMethods() returns public methods (as it states in its Javadoc)

Try getDeclaredMethods() instead or make the method public.

BTW, you can do:

Class cls = Test.class;
System.out.println("Class is " + cls);
for(Method method : cls.getDeclaredMethods())
    System.out.println(method);

edited Aug 7, 2012 at 11:41

lsoliveira

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answered Aug 7, 2012 at 11:29

Peter Lawrey

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3 Comments

assylias Over a year ago

+1 for getDeclaredMethods. I'll try to give you your 100,000th point ;-)

Peter Lawrey Over a year ago

@assylias I think you just did. ;) I try to give 500 point bounties to my questions, but even so...

Peter Lawrey Over a year ago

Too late to take it back, I am still over. :D

assylias · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-07 11:28:23Z

4

Because that method is not public. The javadoc states (emphasis mine):

Returns an array containing Method objects reflecting all the public member methods of the class or interface represented by this Class object

answered Aug 7, 2012 at 11:28

assylias

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