Generate Java setters and getters automatically

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created 2002 · complexity intermediate · author Sheer El-Showk · version 5.7

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This mapping makes it much simpler to write new java classes by automating a repetitive coding task, the creation of setters and getters. Note that a ready-made plugin exists to do much the same thing.

To use, first write a basic class with the following format:

public class MyClass
{
  private <type> <varname> = <initvalue>;
  private <type> <varname> = initvalue>;
  // getters
  // setters
}

Note the getters/setters comment -- these are important as they are used to place the getters and setters.

The mapping is which should be added to the .vimrc file is:

map jgs mawv/ <CR>"ty/ <CR>wvwh"ny/getters<CR>$a<CR><CR><Esc>xxapublic
<Esc>"tpa<Esc>"npbiget<Esc>l~ea()<CR>{<CR><Tab>return
<Esc>"npa;<CR>}<Esc>=<CR><Esc>/setters<CR>$a<CR><CR><Esc>xxapublic void
<Esc>"npbiset<Esc>l~ea(<Esc>"tpa <Esc>"npa)<CR>{<CR><Tab>this.<Esc>"npa=
<Esc>"npa;<CR>}<Esc>=<CR>`ak

The above should be one long line with no spaces between the end of the lines above.

To use this to generate a class go to the variable that should have a setter/getter and place the curser at the beginning of the 'private':

private <type> <variable> = <initvalue>'
^

Then type:

jgs

This will create the first getter/setter and then move up to the next variable. A user can continue typing jgs until all the getters/setters have been generated.

Plugins

• The java_getset.vim script makes it dead simple to auto generate getters and setters, plus its easy to install and configure.
• lh-refactor handles getters and setters among other refactorings (and languages)

Comments

This is a great idea, but this implementation is a little lacking. When I first used it, it put my getters and setters in comments (since it searchers for // getters, and doing an $a<CR> on that line continues the comment). Additionally, it assumes a tabstop of 8 instead of letting the file type indent do the work, plus the spacing is a little messed up.

What I usually do is type all my private members. I got to the first one and hit qa to start macro recording to register a. Then I make my getter and setter using only commands that operate on words and not characters. When done, hit q again, and now register a has your macro.