Can sub-classes modify behavior of static methods in an abstract super-class in Java?

I'm using "Parameterized" runner to execute some tests. I am generating the test data from XML file. This works fine.

Now I want to apply this behavior to multiple test classes without having to replicate the test data generation code. So I made an abstract class which does the job of populating the test data from "an" XML file. If the sub-classes can tell which XML file to use, I'd achieve my goal.

But I've been unable to find a way to do this.

This is my super-class

@RunWith(Parameterized.class)
public abstract class AbstractXMLDrivenTest{
     @@Parameters
     public static Collection<Object[]> generateData () {
         /* Reads an XML File and returns test input data */
     }
}

Here's is a sub-class

public class TestSomeThing extends AbstractXMLDrivenTest {
     public TestSomeThing(args) {
     /* Args are populated by generateData in super开发者_JS百科class */
     }
}

This works fine if I use XML file intended for TestSomething in AbstractXMLDrivenTest. I want the XML file to be defined by the sub-class i.e. TestSomething so that I can use the super-class with other test cases as well. I hope this is clear now.

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There is no inheritance for static methods in Java. Also, it makes no difference to a static method whether its class is abstract or not -- a class only has a scoping function for static methods.

In order to use inheritance, please use non-static methods. This way you will be able to extract the XML file name from a subclass non-static method or non-static field.

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No, subclasses can't override static methods.

http://www.coderanch.com/how-to/java/OverridingVsHiding

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Static methods cannot be overriden in Java -- regardless whether the class is abstract or not.

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If your xml filename is stored as a static member of your superclass, have your subclass assign the value before generateTestData is called.

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Just one subclass is enough. Instead of multiplying the testing subclasses, just call your test method on your different test files. Actually, you'd better not even make your testing class a subclass, but just a separate class on its own.

If you want to use industry standard testing, look at JUnit.

EDIT:
You did not read the doc carefully. You do not need subclasses at all: you build your various test cases as the array build by generateData. In your case you would have an array of pairs of the form {("test1.xml", objectResult1), ("test2.xml", objectResult2),...}. The constructor of the test class is of the form ParametrizedTest(String fileXML, ObjectResult result).