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| CHAPTER 15: Expressions |
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There are 12 assignment operators; all are syntactically right-associative (they group right-to-left). Thus, a=b=c means a=(b=c) , which assigns the value of c to b and then assigns the value of b to a .
AssignmentExpression: ConditionalExpression Assignment Assignment: LeftHandSide AssignmentOperator AssignmentExpression LeftHandSide: ExpressionName FieldAccess ArrayAccess AssignmentOperator: one of = *= /= %= += -= <<= >>= >>>= &= ^= |=
The result of the first operand of an assignment operator must be a variable, or a compile-time error occurs. This operand may be a named variable, such as a local variable or a field of the current object or class, or it may be a computed variable, as can result from a field access (S15.10) or an array access (S15.12). The type of the assignment expression is the type of the variable.
At run time, the result of the assignment expression is the value of the variable after the assignment has occurred. The result of an assignment expression is not itself a variable.
A variable that is declared final cannot be assigned to, because when an access of a final variable is used as an expression, the result is a value, not a variable, and so it cannot be used as the operand of an assignment operator.
A compile-time error occurs if the type of the right-hand operand cannot be converted to the type of the variable by assignment conversion (S5.2).
At run time, the expression is evaluated in one of two ways. If the left-hand operand expression is not an array access expression, then three steps are required:
If the left-hand operand expression is an array access expression (S15.12), then many steps are required:
The rules for assignment to an array component are illustrated by the following example program:
class ArrayReferenceThrow extends RuntimeException { }
class IndexThrow extends RuntimeException { }
class RightHandSideThrow extends RuntimeException { }
class IllustrateSimpleArrayAssignment {
static Object[] objects = { new Object(), new Object() };
static Thread[] threads = { new Thread(), new Thread() };
static Object[] arrayThrow() {
throw new ArrayReferenceThrow();
}
static int indexThrow() { throw new IndexThrow(); }
static Thread rightThrow() {
throw new RightHandSideThrow();
}
static String name(Object q) {
String sq = q.getClass().getName();
int k = sq.lastIndexOf('.');
return (k < 0) ? sq : sq.substring(k+1);
}
static void testFour(Object[] x, int j, Object y) {
String sx = x == null ? "null" : name(x[0]) + "s";
String sy = name(y);
System.out.println();
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[throw]=throw => ");
x[indexThrow()] = rightThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[throw]=" + sy + " => ");
x[indexThrow()] = y;
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[" + j + "]=throw => ");
x[j] = rightThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[" + j + "]=" + sy + " => ");
x[j] = y;
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
try {
System.out.print("throw[throw]=throw => ");
arrayThrow()[indexThrow()] = rightThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[throw]=Thread => ");
arrayThrow()[indexThrow()] = new Thread();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[1]=throw => ");
arrayThrow()[1] = rightThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[1]=Thread => ");
arrayThrow()[1] = new Thread();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
testFour(null, 1, new StringBuffer());
testFour(null, 1, new StringBuffer());
testFour(null, 9, new Thread());
testFour(null, 9, new Thread());
testFour(objects, 1, new StringBuffer());
testFour(objects, 1, new Thread());
testFour(objects, 9, new StringBuffer());
testFour(objects, 9, new Thread());
testFour(threads, 1, new StringBuffer());
testFour(threads, 1, new Thread());
testFour(threads, 9, new StringBuffer());
testFour(threads, 9, new Thread());
}
}
This program prints:
throw[throw]=throw => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[throw]=Thread => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[1]=throw => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[1]=Thread => ArrayReferenceThrow null[throw]=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]=StringBuffer => IndexThrow null[1]=throw => RightHandSideThrow null[1]=StringBuffer => NullPointerException null[throw]=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]=StringBuffer => IndexThrow null[1]=throw => RightHandSideThrow null[1]=StringBuffer => NullPointerException null[throw]=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]=Thread => IndexThrow null[9]=throw => RightHandSideThrow null[9]=Thread => NullPointerException null[throw]=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]=Thread => IndexThrow null[9]=throw => RightHandSideThrow null[9]=Thread => NullPointerException Objects[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Objects[throw]=StringBuffer => IndexThrow Objects[1]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Objects[1]=StringBuffer => Okay! Objects[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Objects[throw]=Thread => IndexThrow Objects[1]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Objects[1]=Thread => Okay! Objects[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Objects[throw]=StringBuffer => IndexThrow Objects[9]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Objects[9]=StringBuffer => IndexOutOfBoundsException Objects[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Objects[throw]=Thread => IndexThrow Objects[9]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Objects[9]=Thread => IndexOutOfBoundsException Threads[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Threads[throw]=StringBuffer => IndexThrow Threads[1]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Threads[1]=StringBuffer => ArrayStoreException Threads[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Threads[throw]=Thread => IndexThrow Threads[1]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Threads[1]=Thread => Okay! Threads[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Threads[throw]=StringBuffer => IndexThrow Threads[9]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Threads[9]=StringBuffer => IndexOutOfBoundsException Threads[throw]=throw => IndexThrow Threads[throw]=Thread => IndexThrow Threads[9]=throw => RightHandSideThrow Threads[9]=Thread => IndexOutOfBoundsException
The most interesting case of the lot is the one thirteenth from the end:
Threads[1]=StringBuffer => ArrayStoreException
which indicates that the attempt to store a reference to a StringBuffer into an array whose components are of type Thread throws an ArrayStoreException . The code is type-correct at compile time: the assignment has a left-hand side of type Object[] and a right-hand side of type Object . At run time, the first actual argument to method testFour is a reference to an instance of "array of Thread " and the third actual argument is a reference to an instance of class StringBuffer .
All compound assignment operators require both operands to be of primitive type, except for += , which allows the right-hand operand to be of any type if the left- hand operand is of type String .
A compound assignment expression of the form E1 op= E2 is equivalent to E1 = ( T)(( E1) op ( E2)) , where T is the type of E1, except that E1 is evaluated only once. Note that the implied cast to type T may be either an identity conversion (S5.1.1) or a narrowing primitive conversion (S5.1.3). For example, the following code is correct:
short x = 3; x += 4.6;
and results in x having the value 7 because it is equivalent to:
short x = 3; x = (short)(x + 4.6);
At run time, the expression is evaluated in one of two ways. If the left-hand operand expression is not an array access expression, then four steps are required:
If the left-hand operand expression is an array access expression (S15.12), then many steps are required:
The rules for compound assignment to an array component are illustrated by the following example program:
class ArrayReferenceThrow extends RuntimeException { }
class IndexThrow extends RuntimeException { }
class RightHandSideThrow extends RuntimeException { }
class IllustrateCompoundArrayAssignment {
static String[] strings = { "Simon", "Garfunkel" };
static double[] doubles = { Math.E, Math.PI };
static String[] stringsThrow() {
throw new ArrayReferenceThrow();
}
static double[] doublesThrow() {
throw new ArrayReferenceThrow();
}
static int indexThrow() { throw new IndexThrow(); }
static String stringThrow() {
throw new RightHandSideThrow();
}
static double doubleThrow() {
throw new RightHandSideThrow();
}
static String name(Object q) {
String sq = q.getClass().getName();
int k = sq.lastIndexOf('.');
return (k < 0) ? sq : sq.substring(k+1);
}
static void testEight(String[] x, double[] z, int j) {
String sx = (x == null) ? "null" : "Strings";
String sz = (z == null) ? "null" : "doubles";
System.out.println();
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[throw]+=throw => ");
x[indexThrow()] += stringThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sz + "[throw]+=throw => ");
z[indexThrow()] += doubleThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[throw]+=\"heh\" => ");
x[indexThrow()] += "heh";
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sz + "[throw]+=12345 => ");
z[indexThrow()] += 12345;
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[" + j + "]+=throw => ");
x[j] += stringThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sz + "[" + j + "]+=throw => ");
z[j] += doubleThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sx + "[" + j + "]+=\"heh\" => ");
x[j] += "heh";
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print(sz + "[" + j + "]+=12345 => ");
z[j] += 12345;
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
try {
System.out.print("throw[throw]+=throw => ");
stringsThrow()[indexThrow()] += stringThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[throw]+=throw => ");
doublesThrow()[indexThrow()] += doubleThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[throw]+=\"heh\" => ");
stringsThrow()[indexThrow()] += "heh";
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[throw]+=12345 => ");
doublesThrow()[indexThrow()] += 12345;
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[1]+=throw => ");
stringsThrow()[1] += stringThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[1]+=throw => ");
doublesThrow()[1] += doubleThrow();
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[1]+=\"heh\" => ");
stringsThrow()[1] += "heh";
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
try {
System.out.print("throw[1]+=12345 => ");
doublesThrow()[1] += 12345;
System.out.println("Okay!");
} catch (Throwable e) { System.out.println(name(e)); }
testEight(null, null, 1);
testEight(null, null, 9);
testEight(strings, doubles, 1);
testEight(strings, doubles, 9);
}
}
This program prints:
throw[throw]+=throw => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[throw]+=throw => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[throw]+="heh" => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[throw]+=12345 => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[1]+=throw => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[1]+=throw => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[1]+="heh" => ArrayReferenceThrow throw[1]+=12345 => ArrayReferenceThrow null[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]+="heh" => IndexThrow null[throw]+=12345 => IndexThrow null[1]+=throw => NullPointerException null[1]+=throw => NullPointerException null[1]+="heh" => NullPointerException null[1]+=12345 => NullPointerException null[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow null[throw]+="heh" => IndexThrow null[throw]+=12345 => IndexThrow null[9]+=throw => NullPointerException null[9]+=throw => NullPointerException null[9]+="heh" => NullPointerException null[9]+=12345 => NullPointerException Strings[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow doubles[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow Strings[throw]+="heh" => IndexThrow doubles[throw]+=12345 => IndexThrow Strings[1]+=throw => RightHandSideThrow doubles[1]+=throw => RightHandSideThrow Strings[1]+="heh" => Okay! doubles[1]+=12345 => Okay! Strings[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow doubles[throw]+=throw => IndexThrow Strings[throw]+="heh" => IndexThrow doubles[throw]+=12345 => IndexThrow Strings[9]+=throw => IndexOutOfBoundsException doubles[9]+=throw => IndexOutOfBoundsException Strings[9]+="heh" => IndexOutOfBoundsException doubles[9]+=12345 => IndexOutOfBoundsException
The most interesting cases of the lot are tenth and eleventh from the end:
Strings[1]+=throw => RightHandSideThrow doubles[1]+=throw => RightHandSideThrow
They are the cases where a right-hand side that throws an exception actually gets to throw the exception; moreover, they are the only such cases in the lot. This demonstrates that the evaluation of the right-hand operand indeed occurs after the checks for a null array reference value and an out-of-bounds index value.
The following program illustrates the fact that the value of the left-hand side of a compound assignment is saved before the right-hand side is evaluated:
class Test {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int k = 1;
int[] a = { 1 };
k += (k = 4) * (k + 2);
a[0] += (a[0] = 4) * (a[0] + 2);
System.out.println("k==" + k + " and a[0]==" + a[0]);
}
}
This program prints:
k==25 and a[0]==25
The value 1 of k is saved by the compound assignment operator += before its right-hand operand (k = 4) * (k + 2) is evaluated. Evaluation of this right-hand operand then assigns 4 to k , calculates the value 6 for k + 2 , and then multiplies 4 by 6 to get 24 . This is added to the saved value 1 to get 25 , which is then stored into k by the += operator. An identical analysis applies to the case that uses a[0] . In short, the statements
k += (k = 4) * (k + 2); a[0] += (a[0] = 4) * (a[0] + 2);
behave in exactly the same manner as the statements:
k = k + (k = 4) * (k + 2); a[0] = a[0] + (a[0] = 4) * (a[0] + 2);
 | © 1996 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. |