[abc] the ConstantValue attribute

Hi all,

Just trying to work through this whole initializers of static final fields
issue.

Here's the situation:

 * The JVM spec (4.5.3) says that the JVM - and I guess by implication
tools, compilers etc - must understand the ConstantValue attribute, which
could be on any static field (not necessarily final, but I don't think
that matters). This means that it is valid for a compiler to make this
attribute and leave out the code to initialise it.

 * I can't find any explicit statement anywhere that compilers should use
ConstantValue and omit the initialisation code. However, various pieces of
the spec seem to imply that it is necessary. For example, JLS 8.3.2.1 says
that even devious programs cannot observe the default value for final
static fields whose initializers are compile time constants. Similarly, it
is a requirement for compiling java source that such things be inlined,
and if the reference is to a field in a binary class the only sane way to
figure out that it was a compile time constant is with the ConstantValue
attribute.

So it seems to me as if J2J will need to be changed to support this :-/

Ganesh
Received on Tue Sep 14 12:13:45 2004