(reflect) getEnclosingConstructor: spec contradiction, incorrect behavior

Name: vrR10176 Date: 01/30/2004



The API spec (JDK1.5-b36) for method Class.getEnclosingConstructor() says:

"public Method getEnclosingConstructor()
        ~~~~~~

If this Class object represents a local or anonymous class within a constructor,
returns a Constructor object representing the immediately enclosing constructor
          ~~~~~~~~~~~
of the underlying class. Returns null otherwise. In particular, this method returns
null if the underlying class is a local or anonymous class immediately enclosed by
a type declaration, instance initializer or static initializer

Returns:
the immediately enclosing method of the underlying class, if that class is a local
                          ~~~~~~
or anonymous class; otherwise null."

The description of the method is contradictory, it is not clear about method return
type. Constructor is more consistent type for this case, but javac (JDK1.5-b36)
accepts Method.

Also if this Class object represents a local or anonymous class within a constructor
the method getEnclosingConstructor() returns null.

To reproduce the issue execute the following test.

------------ test.java -------------------------------
import java.lang.reflect.Method;
//import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;

public class test {

    public test() {

        class Local {}
        Class cl = (new Local()).getClass();
        Method m = cl.getEnclosingConstructor();
// Constructor m = cl.getEnclosingConstructor(); //???
        System.out.println("Enclosing constructor for local class: " + m);

        m = (new Object () { Method getEncMthd(){return this.getClass().getEnclosingConstructor();}}).getEncMthd();
// m = (new Object () { Constructor getEncMthd(){return this.getClass().getEnclosingConstructor();}}).getEncMthd(); //???
        System.out.println("Enclosing constructor for anonymous class: " + m);

    }

    public static void main(String argv[]) {
        test obj = new test();
        return;
    }
}

------------ Logs ---------------------------------------------
$javac -d . test.java
$
$java -version
java version "1.5.0-beta2"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0-beta2-b36)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0-beta2-b36, mixed mode)
$
$java test
Enclosing constructor for local class: null
Enclosing constructor for anonymous class: null
$
$
-------------------------------------------------------------------

New jck1.5-beta2 tests failed due to this bug:
api/java_lang/Class/index.html#GetEnclosingCnstr[getEnclosingConstructor003]
api/java_lang/Class/index.html#GetEnclosingCnstr[getEnclosingConstructor004]

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