Name: gm110360 Date: 12/18/2001


FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.4.0-beta3"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build
1.4.0-beta3-b84)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.0-beta3-b84, mixed
mode)

FULL OPERATING SYSTEM VERSION :
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]

ADDITIONAL OPERATING SYSTEMS :
All


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
java.lang.reflect.Array does not have a public method that
allows you to clone arrays. The Java language
specification says that all arrays implicitly support the
Object.clone() method by logically overriding it to be
public and so as to suppress CloneNotSupportedException.
Consequently, when working with an unknown object, it would
be nice if java.lang.reflect.Array could call the implicit
clone() method.

You cannot do this at the moment because when you have an
unknown Object there is no way to get the compiler/runtime
to recognize that the clone() method should be public.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. Create a new int[]. Assign it to a variable of type
Object.
2. Using that Object reference, try to invoke clone(). It
won't work. Short of doing several instanceof checks,
there is no way around this.

This bug can be reproduced always.
(Review ID: 137459)
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