Bug ID: JDK-8146062 No compilation error when trying to compile nested inner classes

Type: Bug
Component: tools
Sub-Component: javac
Affected Version: 8u45

Priority: P4
Status: Resolved
Resolution: Not an Issue
OS: windows_8
CPU: x86

Submitted: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2016-05-26
Resolved: 2016-05-26

FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_45"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_45-b15)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.45-b02, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows [vers��o 6.3.9600]
Windows 8.1 64bits pt-br

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Hardware: Intel Core i5-2410M 2.3 GHz

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The following program presents no compilation error when compiling in Oracle JDK but it must not be compilable.

Program

	public class A {
		public class B extends A {
			public class C extends B {}
		}
	}


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Save above program into a file called A.java and try to execute javac compiler.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Compilation error: No enclosing instance of type A is available due to some intermediate constructor invocation
ACTUAL -
No compilation errors.

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

Eclipse is complaining about the 'super' call in the default constructor of C. This can be made clear by writing out the default constructors: class A { public A() { super(); } class B extends A { public B() { super(); } class C extends B { public C() { super(); } // <--- error occurs here } } } The error suggests there is no available enclosing instance, when in fact there are multiple candidates: both 'B.this' and 'A.this' will work. The search for the right enclosing instance is a bit unclear (see JDK-8157994), but it should succeed. So: this is a bug in Eclipse, not javac.

26-05-2016

I don't see any circularity with this example; in fact something like the following: class A { class B extends A { class C extends B { void m() { System.out.println("Hello!"); } } } public static void main(String[] args) { A a = new A(); B b = a.new B(); B.C c = b.new C(); c.m(); } } does indeed work. Perhaps the confusion here is that member classes B and C have both an enclosing instance of type A and a superclass A - but note that the super object and the enclosing object are not the same object.

04-01-2016

Eclipse reports it as compiler error "No enclosing instance of type A is available due to some intermediate constructor invocation", where as javac compiler compiles properly. Verified in the below versions 7uxx - Fail (All the versions of 7) 8uxx - Fail (All versions of 8) 9 ea build 95 - Fail 9 ea build 96 - Fail Forwarding for dev teams review.

23-12-2015