Limiting generic type

Question

Is it possible in Java to limit a generic type <T> to only some types like:

• Boolean
• Integer
• Long
• Float
• String

?

Edit: My problem is to limit a generic type <T> to different class types which have not common direct superclass.

---

Edit: I finally use the scheme proposed by Reimeus:

public class Data<T> {

    private T value;

    private Data(T value) {
        this.set(value);
    }

    public static Data<Integer> newInstance(Integer value) {
        return new Data<Integer>(value);
    }

    public static Data<Float> newInstance(Float value) {
        return new Data<Float>(value);
    }

    public static Data<String> newInstance(String value) {
        return new Data<String>(value);
    }

    public T get() {
        return this.value;
    }

    public void set(T value) {
        this.value = value;
    }
}

and:

Data<Integer> data = Data.newInstance(10);

---

Edit: Another approach:

public class Data<T> {

    private T value;

    private Data(T value) {
        this.set(value);
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    public Data(Integer value) {
        this((T) value);
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    public Data(Float value) {
        this((T) value);
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    public Data(String value) {
        this((T) value);
    }

    public T get() {
        return this.value;
    }

    public void set(T value) {
        this.value = value;
    }
}

But I have a problem with it:

If by mistake the data instance is declared with:

Data<Integer> data = new Data<Integer>(3.6f); // Float instead of Integer

There is no class cast exception and data.get() returns 3.6

I don't understand why...

So, the first solution seems better.

Answer 1

You can restrict it by polymorphism, eg:

<T super X> //Matches X and all superclasses of X

<T extends X> //Matches X and all subclasses of X

However, you can't just restrict it to a list of arbitrary types that are inherently unrelated.