Name: vi73552 Date: 05/20/99

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The Java Language Specification, section 15.24, says:

If the second and third operands are of different reference=20
types, then it must be possible to convert one of the types=20
to the other type (call this latter type T) by assignment=20
conversion (=A75.2); the type of the conditional expression is T.
It is a compile-time error if neither type is assignment=20
compatible with the other type.=20

The following code is very intuitive but does not compile because=20
of this rule:

class Base { ... }
class DerivedX extends Base { ... }
class DerivedY extends Base { ... }

Base b =3D condition() ? new DerivedX() : new DerivedY();


Could section 15.24 be reworded so that if the second and third=20
operands of a conditional expression are of different reference=20
types, the type of the expression is the nearest common base
class of the two reference types? =20

This would make intuitive code, such as that above, possible
and would not allow any type errors to creep through.

Thanks. --Nat.

expression to be the nearest common base
(Review ID: 83317)=20
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