compile time constants in switch statements

[vianyrajnish rajnish]

Hi all,

I was reading about the Switch Statements (chapter 5) of SCJP Exam study guide.(Kathy sierra & Bert bates).... there I got struct in Legal expression and switch statements.

can any one please explain me about first the difference between compile time & load time constants.. with few examples
or suggest me some references.

I referred google but ... it is not working as they given in some seach results of google.
These are the things i read & tried then:
example program :

class TestCompileConst
{

public static void main(String args[])
{
final int DAY_CREATED = (int)(System.currentTimeMillis());
switch(DAY_CREATED)
{
case 2000: System.out.println("hjhjdffd");
break;
default : System.out.println("default part");
}
}
}

According to my reading the below variable is load time constant which can't be used in switch , but it is compiling.
final int DAY_CREATED = (int)(System.currentTimeMillis());

can any one please help me this...

Thanks,
Vinay Rajnish

[Richard Boren]

Hi Vinay,

You should re-read K&B�s switch text.

You are right,
final int DAY_CREATED = (int)(System.currentTimeMillis()); is a runtime constant; however, switch(DAY_CREATED) is the switch�s expression. It only needs to evaluate to a char, byte, short, int or an enum�s value that can automatically cast to an int. It does not have to be a compile time constant. Actually you wouldn�t normally want a constant in the expression even though it is legal. As you have already proven.

It is the switch�s �case:� that must be a compile time constant and must evaluate to the same type as the switch's expression can use.

Try this:

class Test {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
         final int a = 1 ;   // compile time constant
         final int b ;       // runtime constant
         b = 1 ;
         int x = 1 ;
 
         switch(x)   {
             case a:  ;     // okay 
             case b:  ;     // error:  constant expression required 
         }
 
         final int DAY_CREATED = (int)(System.currentTimeMillis());
         switch(x)   {
            case DAY_CREATED:  ;   // error:  constant expression required.
         }
 
         long z = 1 ;
         switch(z)   {      // error:  possible loss of precision
             case a:  ;  
         }
 
    }
}

Richard

[vianyrajnish rajnish]

Hi Richard,
Thanks for the reply, Richard.

I read k&B swith statements... I understood that it is the case argument must be compile constants.
but i have not clear with the differences bewtween load time & compile time constatnts.

lets discuss this example :

class Test {
public static void main(String args[]) {
final int a = 1 ; // compile time constant
final int b ; // runtime constant
b = 1 ;
int x = 1 ;
switch(x) {
case a: ; // okay
case b: ; // error: constant expression required
}
}

In the example above.. here,
final int b ;
b = 1;
variable b has been assigned value of 1, at compile time itself .
But , how come it become runtime constant.
Please explain me a bit and provide some reference to read.

Thanks
Vinay Rajnish

[swarna dasa]

Scenarios possible:-

1)
final int b;
b=1;

2)
final int b ; // runtime constant
int i=0;
b= i;

3)
method (int i) {
final int b;
b=i;
}

Since b=1; is allowed b=i; should be allowed as well, but as we can see in scenario 3, its a runtime constant.

So after final int b; the compiler really doesn't know whats gonna follow.

[Chandra Bhatt]

Hi,

I take compile time constant in the following way:

If a final primitive is initialized where it is declared and right side of the = operator is compile time constant, then we call it compile time constant, because at compile time we have info what exact value the
primitive variable is holding

eg. final int a=40; // here 40 is constant, so a is compile time constant


If a final primitive first declared and then initialized at any other place
(not while declaring), it is run time constant, because at compile time we don't know what value the primitive variable is holding. Assignment operator
= works at run time in this case.


int time = (int)System.currentTimemillies(); //run time constant

We don't know what is the value of System.currentTimemillies() at compile time, so assignment is delayed till run time.

Same applies to constant reference also, but constant wrapper is not allowed in the case statement;


Some other scenarios regarding compile time constant:

byte b1=10; //ok
int i1=15;
byte b2=i1; //Error

final i2 =20;
byte b3 = i2; //OK

final i3;
i3=12;
byte b4 =i3; //Error


Thanks,
[ May 03, 2007: Message edited by: Chandra Bhatt ]

[Richard Boren]

Hi Vinay,

final int a = 1 ; // This is a compile time constant because "a" is declared and initialized at the same time so the compiler knows its value.

final int b ; // here "b" is declared, but not initialized so the compiler doesn't know its value.

b = 1 ; // The assignment of "b" value is not known until runtime because the value could change. You could do something like this �b = (someExpression) ? 1 : 2 ;� The value of "b" cannot be known by the compiler.

Hope this helps.

Richard

[vianyrajnish rajnish]

Hi Richar,Chandra Bhat, Swarna Das

Thanks for your replies. Thanks a lot.
Now i have got cleared with my doubt .

Thanks
Vinay Rajnish