Review request:Updated JDK-8004728 Implement core reflection API for parameter reflection

[Peter Levart]

On 12/20/2012 06:33 AM, Eric McCorkle wrote:
> On 12/19/12 18:47, Peter Levart wrote:
>> >Hi Eric,
>> >
>> >in Executable.java:
>> >
>> >  292     private Parameter[] privateGetParameters() {
>> >  293         if (null != parameters)
>> >  294             return parameters.get();
>> >
>> >
>> >If/when SoftReference is cleared,privateGetParameters  will be returning
>> >null forever. Also Executable objects are already SoftReferenced from
>> >the Class. Do we need another level of SoftReferencing?
> I'd say not.  I'll take that bit out.
>
Hi again, Eric,

To be exact: only 'root' Executable objects are SoftReferenced from the 
Class. The copies that are exposed to user are not referenced at all (by 
reflection library). So as long as internal JDK code is not calling any 
new Parameter returning methods on 'root' Executable instances, they 
will never materialize any Parameter objects. The user only has to be 
aware that the Executable instance he/she has got hold on has a direct 
reference to any Parameter instances and vice versa. There is already a 
precedent for that: annotations are directly referenced from 
Field/Method/Constructor and they may have direct references to various 
Class instances.

Although the specification does not specify it, a nice addition to the 
API would be the following method on Executable:

Parameter getParameter(String parameterName);

...since parameter names are unique, aren't they? Parameter instances 
would have to be cached in a Map though.


Regards, Peter