Name: jl125535 Date: 04/25/2002


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)

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The class documentation for the exception states it is thrown
when "... the specified class object cannot be instantiated
because it is an interface or is an abstract class"

How many reasons should this documentation contain? The javadoc
for java.lang.Class at
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/docs/api/java/lang/Class.html#newInstance()
has a more complete list that includes the absence of a nullary
constructor as a reason.


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. Inspect the javadoc for java.lang.Class and
   java.lang.InstantiationException at
   http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/docs/api/index.html.
(Review ID: 145849)
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Name: rmT116609 Date: 06/17/2002


 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The description of InstantiationException in Java doc is not complete.

The descritpion is:

public class InstantiationException extends Exception

Thrown when an application tries to create an instance of a class using the newInstance method in class Class, but the specified class object cannot be instantiated because it is an interface or is an abstract class.
-------------------------------------------------------

But in description of Class.newInstance() method we can read this:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Throws:

InstantiationException - if this Class represents an abstract class, an interface, an array class, a primitive type, or void; or if the class has no nullary constructor; or if the instantiation fails for some other reason.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, in InstantiationException description has missed that it can be thrown also if Class represents "an array class, a primitive type, or void; or if the class has no nullary constructor;".

For example, Integer.class.newInstance() throws InstantiationException because java.lang.Integer has not nullary constructor.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. Read the Java doc on InstantiationException class
2. Read Java doc on Class.newInstance method
3. Compare.


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
  Description of InstantiationException must look like this:
"Thrown
when an application tries to create an instance of a class using the
newInstance method in class Class, but the specified class object cannot
be instantiated because it is an interface or is an abstract class or an
array class, a primitive type, or void; or if the class has no nullary
constructor; or if the instantiation fails for some other reason."
(Review ID: 153663)
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