Re: Declaring members for Interfaces

From:

Lew <lew@lewscanon.com>

Newsgroups:

comp.lang.java.programmer

Date:

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:02:38 -0400

Message-ID:

<vr-dnfgNXbsCgozVnZ2dnUVZ_ommnZ2d@comcast.com>

Lew wrote,

A constant is a final variable initialized with a compile-time
constant expression.

Roedy Green wrote:

Hmm. Does the JLS define that? One of my early beefs about Java was
the sloppy way they used the term "constant" for so many different
things, including literals. It would be great if they have nailed
that down clearly.

It looks like the JLS actually does use "constant field" as a synonym for
"final field", at least in
<http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/interfaces.html#9.2>

However, it defines "constant variable" as the more restrictive term:

We call a variable, of primitive type or type String, that is final and
initialized with a compile-time constant expression (?15.28) a constant
variable.

<http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/typesValues.html#4.12.4>

That's the definition I use.

The application to literals is covered in Ss. 15.28.
<http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/expressions.html#15.28>

--
Lew