Name: swC45995 Date: 11/06/96


The right-hand operand of an assignment expression is evaluated prior
to evaluation of the left-hand operand. It contradicts the following
assertion:

First, the left-hand operand is evaluated to produce a variable. If this evaluation completes abruptly, then the assignment expression completes abruptly for the same reason; the right-hand operand is not evaluated and no assignment occurs. (Java Language Specification, section 15.25.1 Simple Assignment
Operator)

Thus, execution of the following test

public class test
{
int field;

public static void main(String argv[])
{
test x = null;
int a = 0;

try {
x.field = ++a;
} catch (NullPointerException e) {
System.out.println(a);
}
}
}

produces such output:

novo40% java test
1

instead of expected:

novo40% java test
0

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