Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Joshua J Bloch

Graham Hamilton

Guy L Steele

Neal M Gafter

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates use of an object-oriented enumerated type within a computer program. During operation, the system receives source code for the computer program, wherein the source code contains a declaration for an enumerated type. This declaration specifies a fixed number of enumeration constants that comprise the enumerated type. Next, the system defines the enumerated type using a class defined within an object-oriented programming language, wherein the class includes a constant for each enumeration constant specified in the declaration. If the declaration additionally contains one or more method declarations, these methods are present on the defined class.

Object-oriented enumerated type facility

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates importing static members of a class. During operation, the system examines code associated with a compilation unit to locate a static import declaration that identifies one or more static members of the class to import. Upon finding such a static import declaration, the system records the static import declaration in a symbol table used to compile the compilation unit. This allows the names for the one or more static members of the class to appear within the compilation unit without being prefixed with a name for the class.

Method and apparatus for importing static members of a class

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for associating metadata attributes with program elements. During operation, the system receives source code containing syntactic elements that specify metadata attributes for program elements, wherein the metadata attributes do not affect program execution. The system then parses the source code to obtain the metadata attributes. Next, the system associates the metadata attributes with corresponding program elements and determines values associated with the metadata attributes. Finally, the system incorporates the metadata attributes, including identifiers for the associated values and the associated program elements, into object code for the program, thereby allowing the metadata attributes to be accessed from the object code. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a system for accessing metadata attributes for program elements from object code through an application programming interface (API).

Method and apparatus for associating metadata attributes with program elements

In a threading mechanism, a system and method for providing automatic value inheritance when a parent thread creates a child thread. Upon thread creation, the system iterates over all of the inheritable thread-local values associated with a parent thread and initializes a child's values of these inheritable thread-local values, based on an appropriate child value method. The child's values may be a copy of the parent's values, or a predetermined function of the parent's values.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Joshua J Bloch