JDK-7148556 : Implementing a generic interface causes a public clone() to become inaccessible
  • Type: Bug
  • Component: tools
  • Sub-Component: javac
  • Affected Version: 7
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • OS: linux
  • CPU: x86
  • Submitted: 2012-02-24
  • Updated: 2012-08-01
  • Resolved: 2012-03-19
The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed.

Unresolved : Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed.
Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved.
Fixed : Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed. The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release.

To download the current JDK release, click here.
JDK 7 JDK 8
7u6Fixed 8 b30Fixed
Related Reports
Duplicate :  
Relates :  
Description
FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.7.0_02"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_02-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 22.0-b10, mixed mode)

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
If you define an interface that defines a public clone() method, that method is sometimes not found by the compiler. In the case below we have an interface which defines clone(), an interface that extends that and implements java.util.List, then a class that attempts to call clone() on the second interface.

The code compiles cleanly in Java 6, but fails in Java 7 with:

Java7.java:8: error: clone() in Java7a is defined in an inaccessible class or interface
    bar.clone();

REGRESSION.  Last worked in version 6u29


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public interface Java7a extends Cloneable
{
  public Object clone();
}
public interface Java7b extends Java7a, java.util.List
{
  public void bar();
}
public class Java7
{
  protected Java7b bar;

  public void foo()
  {
    bar.clone();
  }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
The error can be worked around using any of these methods:

1. Cast bar to Java7a before calling clone()
2. Implement java.util.List<Object> instead of java.util.List

Option #2 seems like the real problem here. In fact you can replace java.util.List below with any other interface that is genericized. Interfaces without generics don't cause this issue.

Comments
SUGGESTED FIX A webrev of this fix is avalable at the following URL: http://hg.openjdk.java.net/jdk8/tl/langtools/rev/eaae5cf911be
06-03-2012

EVALUATION This regression has been caused by the new method Resolve.notOverriddenIn that has been introduced by 6400189. The problem is that MethodSymbol.implementation has a weird behavior - the method calls Types.implementation and returns the result of that call. However if any of the supertypes of 'origin' is raw, another call to Types.implementation is made, where origin is replaced with its supertype. This step doesn't really make sense when origin is an interface: by doing so we will start finding spurious implementations in java.lang.Object - which is arguably incorrect.
06-03-2012