JDK-8041713 : Type inference of non-existent method references crashes the compiler
  • Type: Bug
  • Component: tools
  • Sub-Component: javac
  • Affected Version: 8
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • OS: windows_8
  • CPU: x86
  • Submitted: 2014-04-23
  • Updated: 2016-07-11
  • Resolved: 2014-06-04
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 8 JDK 9
8u20Fixed 9 b17Fixed
Related Reports
Duplicate :  
JDK-8073698 - NullPointerException Trying to Compile Code
Duplicate :  
JDK-8067735 - Compile failed, NPE when using functions in stream().map()
Relates :  
JDK-8161186 - NullPointerException while compiling - Stack trace provided below
Description
FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_05"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_05-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.5-b02, mixed mode)

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
After compiling the given code, the compiler crashes with a NullPointerException.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Just try to compile the given code.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The compiler should not crash and point out that no symbol called "doNotExists" was found.
ACTUAL -
The compiler crashed with a NullPointerException.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
An exception has occurred in the compiler (1.8.0). Please file a bug at the Java Developer Connection (http://java.sun.com/webapps/bugreport)  after checking the Bug Parade for duplicates. Include your program and the following diagnostic in your report.  Thank you.
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.visitIdent(Flow.java:2327)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCIdent.accept(JCTree.java:2005)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.visitReference(TreeScanner.java:268)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCMemberReference.accept(JCTree.java:1967)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scanExpr(Flow.java:1596)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scanExprs(Flow.java:1608)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.visitNewClass(Flow.java:2210)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCNewClass.accept(JCTree.java:1510)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scanExpr(Flow.java:1596)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.visitReturn(Flow.java:2194)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCReturn.accept(JCTree.java:1378)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:57)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.visitBlock(Flow.java:1815)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCBlock.accept(JCTree.java:903)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.visitMethodDef(Flow.java:1753)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AssignAnalyzer.visitMethodDef(Flow.java:2507)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCMethodDecl.accept(JCTree.java:772)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.visitClassDef(Flow.java:1705)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AssignAnalyzer.visitClassDef(Flow.java:2486)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCClassDecl.accept(JCTree.java:687)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.TreeScanner.scan(TreeScanner.java:49)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$BaseAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:389)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.scan(Flow.java:1367)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.analyzeTree(Flow.java:2370)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow$AbstractAssignAnalyzer.analyzeTree(Flow.java:2353)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Flow.analyzeTree(Flow.java:210)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.flow(JavaCompiler.java:1325)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.flow(JavaCompiler.java:1299)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile2(JavaCompiler.java:904)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile(JavaCompiler.java:863)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:523)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:381)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:370)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:361)
	at com.sun.tools.javac.Main.compile(Main.java:56)
	at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
	at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
	at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:483)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.compilers.Javac13.execute(Javac13.java:56)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Javac.compile(Javac.java:1153)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Javac.execute(Javac.java:930)
	at org.netbeans.modules.java.source.ant.JavacTask.execute(JavacTask.java:145)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
	at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor312.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:483)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:106)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:348)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Sequential.execute(Sequential.java:68)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
	at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor312.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:483)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:106)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:348)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MacroInstance.execute(MacroInstance.java:396)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
	at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor312.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:483)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:106)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:348)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.execute(Target.java:435)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.performTasks(Target.java:456)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeSortedTargets(Project.java:1393)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTarget(Project.java:1364)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.helper.DefaultExecutor.executeTargets(DefaultExecutor.java:41)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTargets(Project.java:1248)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.module.bridge.impl.BridgeImpl.run(BridgeImpl.java:286)
	at org.apache.tools.ant.module.run.TargetExecutor.run(TargetExecutor.java:555)
	at org.netbeans.core.execution.RunClassThread.run(RunClassThread.java:153)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
class TestBug<T> {
    static TestBug<String> bug() {
        return new TestBug<>(TestBug::doNotExists);
    }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Manually fix the code without relying in the compiler pointing out the problem.
Comments
minimal test case: class Test<T> { Test<String> f = new Test<>(Test::doNotExists); }
30-05-2014