Possible to use two java classes with same name and same package?

Question

Is it possible to import and use two different classes with the same name and package in java?

For example, let's say I have two classes named "com.foo.Bar" that are slightly different. I'd like to be able to use both, but I have a restriction (because of stupid reflective crap) that forces me to keep the names and packages the same.

Is there some feature of java that would allow me to import and isolate each of these classes?

To elaborate, I changed my avro schemas in ways that they shouldn't have ever been changed (oops!) and now I'd like to go back and change the old avro files that can't be read with my new schema into files that can be read by my new schema. Avro seems to force you to use a specific class and package name to load the files.

Answer 1

Yes there is. You would need to implement your own Classloader and play some games to be able to access both during runtime.

I'm sure this is possible, because I ran into a very hard to debug issue where someone had a weird Classloader in their product that was messing up loading libraries and providing 2 different versions of the same file from 2 different versions of the library.

However, this sounds like an INCREDIBLY bad idea. I'd go back and find a different way of fixing your issue. This will only bring you heartache in the long run. Heck, it probably already is, as you investigate class loaders.

EDIT: To be specific, you cannot "import" both. But you can access both at runtime.