FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_11"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_11-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (build 11.0-b16, mixed mode)
---
java version "1.6.0_13"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_13-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (build 11.3-b02, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux laptop 2.6.27-11-generic #1 SMP Wed Apr 1 20:57:48 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The method Method#getDeclaringClass() in a particular set of classes doesn't return the correct Class.

The following example reproduce show the class configuration:

example
----------------
public abstract class DimensionSet {
protected static class NaturalKey {
public String getHash() {
return "hash";
}
}
}

public class DimTag extends DimensionSet {
public static class NaturalKey extends DimensionSet.NaturalKey {}
}
----------------

If I ask the declaring class for the method getHash() from DimTag$NaturalKey this example I should get DimensionSet$NaturalKey
because is where the getHash() method is declared.

But with JDK/JRE 1.6.0_7 - 11 - 13 I get DimTag$NaturalKey,
Using JDK 1.5.0_17-b04 and JDT compile for java 1.6 I get correctly DimensionSet$NaturalKey

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Take the following classes example

-------------------------------------------------
package javabug;

public abstract class DimensionSet {

protected static class NaturalKey {

public String getHash() {
return "hash";
}
}

}
--------------------------------------------------------
package javabug;

public class DimTag extends DimensionSet {

public static class NaturalKey extends DimensionSet.NaturalKey {}

}
----------------------------------------------------------
package javabug;

import java.lang.reflect.Method;

public class JavaBugTest
{
public static void main( String [] args) throws Exception
{
Class c = Class.forName("javabug.DimTag$NaturalKey" );
Method method = c.getMethod( "getHash", new Class[0]);
boolean correct = method.getDeclaringClass().getName().equals( "javabug.DimensionSet$NaturalKey" );
System.out.println( "Method: " + method.getName() +", declared:"+method.getDeclaringClass()+" ---> "+(correct ? "correct" : "ERROR!!!") );
}
}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

compile and run javabug.JavaBugTest



EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Method: getHash, declared:class javabug.DimensionSet$NaturalKey ---> correct

ACTUAL -
Method: getHash, declared:class javabug.DimTag$NaturalKey ---> ERROR!!!

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
see: Steps to Reproduce
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
change the super-inner-class from protected to public

public abstract class DimensionSet {

// protected static class NaturalKey { // <- error
public static class NaturalKey { // <- OK

public String getHash() {
return "hash";
}
}

}

Release Regression From : 6.0
The above release value was the last known release where this
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.