## org.apache.bcel.generic
Class ReferenceType

    java.lang.Object
      |
      +--org.apache.bcel.generic.Type
            |
            +--org.apache.bcel.generic.ReferenceType

All Implemented Interfaces:
  java.io.Serializable

Direct Known Subclasses:
  ArrayType, ObjectType, UninitializedObjectType

public abstract class ReferenceType
extends Type

Super class for object and array types.

Version:
  $Id: ReferenceType.java,v 1.5 2002/08/07 18:01:32 mdahm Exp $
Author:
  M. Dahm
See Also:
  Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class org.apache.bcel.generic.Type
`BOOLEAN, BYTE, CHAR, DOUBLE, FLOAT, INT, LONG, NO_ARGS, NULL, OBJECT, SHORT, signature, STRING, STRINGBUFFER, THROWABLE, type, UNKNOWN, VOID`

Constructor Summary
`protected` `ReferenceType(byte t, java.lang.String s)`

Method Summary
`ReferenceType` `firstCommonSuperclass(ReferenceType t)` Deprecated. use getFirstCommonSuperclass(ReferenceType t) which has slightly changed semantics.
`ReferenceType` `getFirstCommonSuperclass(ReferenceType t)` This commutative operation returns the first common superclass (narrowest ReferenceType referencing a class, not an interface).
`boolean` `isAssignmentCompatibleWith(Type t)` Return true iff this is assignment compatible with another type t as defined in the JVM specification; see the AASTORE definition there.
`boolean` `isCastableTo(Type t)` Return true iff this type is castable to another type t as defined in the JVM specification.

Methods inherited from class org.apache.bcel.generic.Type
`getArgumentTypes, getMethodSignature, getReturnType, getSignature, getSignature, getSize, getType, getType, getType, toString`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

Constructor Detail

### ReferenceType

    protected ReferenceType(byte t,
                            java.lang.String s)

Method Detail

### isCastableTo

    public boolean isCastableTo(Type t)

  Return true iff this type is castable to another type t as defined in the JVM specification. The case where this is Type.NULL is not defined (see the CHECKCAST definition in the JVM specification). However, because e.g. CHECKCAST doesn't throw a ClassCastException when casting a null reference to any Object, true is returned in this case.

### isAssignmentCompatibleWith

    public boolean isAssignmentCompatibleWith(Type t)

  Return true iff this is assignment compatible with another type t as defined in the JVM specification; see the AASTORE definition there.

### getFirstCommonSuperclass

    public ReferenceType getFirstCommonSuperclass(ReferenceType t)

  This commutative operation returns the first common superclass (narrowest ReferenceType referencing a class, not an interface). If one of the types is a superclass of the other, the former is returned. If "this" is Type.NULL, then t is returned. If t is Type.NULL, then "this" is returned. If "this" equals t ['this.equals(t)'] "this" is returned. If "this" or t is an ArrayType, then Type.OBJECT is returned; unless their dimensions match. Then an ArrayType of the same number of dimensions is returned, with its basic type being the first common super class of the basic types of "this" and t. If "this" or t is a ReferenceType referencing an interface, then Type.OBJECT is returned. If not all of the two classes' superclasses cannot be found, "null" is returned. See the JVM specification edition 2, "§4.9.2 The Bytecode Verifier".

### firstCommonSuperclass

    public ReferenceType firstCommonSuperclass(ReferenceType t)

  Deprecated. use getFirstCommonSuperclass(ReferenceType t) which has slightly changed semantics.

  This commutative operation returns the first common superclass (narrowest ReferenceType referencing a class, not an interface). If one of the types is a superclass of the other, the former is returned. If "this" is Type.NULL, then t is returned. If t is Type.NULL, then "this" is returned. If "this" equals t ['this.equals(t)'] "this" is returned. If "this" or t is an ArrayType, then Type.OBJECT is returned. If "this" or t is a ReferenceType referencing an interface, then Type.OBJECT is returned. If not all of the two classes' superclasses cannot be found, "null" is returned. See the JVM specification edition 2, "§4.9.2 The Bytecode Verifier".

Copyright © 2002-2003 Apache Software Foundation. All Rights Reserved.