org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom
Class MethodDeclaration

java.lang.Object
  org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom.ASTNode
      org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom.BodyDeclaration
          org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom.MethodDeclaration

public class MethodDeclaration
extends BodyDeclaration

Method declaration AST node type. A method declaration is the union of a method declaration and a constructor declaration. For JLS2:

 MethodDeclaration:
    [ Javadoc ] { Modifier } ( Type | void ) Identifier (
        [ FormalParameter 
                     { , FormalParameter } ] ) {[ ] }
        [ throws TypeName { , TypeName } ] ( Block | ; )
 ConstructorDeclaration:
    [ Javadoc ] { Modifier } Identifier (
                  [ FormalParameter
                         { , FormalParameter } ] )
        [throws TypeName { , TypeName } ] Block
 

For JLS3, type parameters and reified modifiers (and annotations) were added:

 MethodDeclaration:
    [ Javadoc ] { ExtendedModifier }
                  [ < TypeParameter { , TypeParameter } > ]
        ( Type | void ) Identifier (
        [ FormalParameter 
                     { , FormalParameter } ] ) {[ ] }
        [ throws TypeName { , TypeName } ] ( Block | ; )
 ConstructorDeclaration:
    [ Javadoc ] { ExtendedModifier }
                  [ < TypeParameter { , TypeParameter } > ]
        Identifier (
                  [ FormalParameter
                         { , FormalParameter } ] )
        [throws TypeName { , TypeName } ] Block
 

When a Javadoc comment is present, the source range begins with the first character of the "/**" comment delimiter. When there is no Javadoc comment, the source range begins with the first character of the first modifier keyword (if modifiers), or the first character of the "<" token (method, no modifiers, type parameters), or the first character of the return type (method, no modifiers, no type parameters), or the first character of the identifier (constructor, no modifiers). The source range extends through the last character of the ";" token (if no body), or the last character of the block (if body).

Since:

2.0

Field Summary

static ChildPropertyDescriptor	BODY_PROPERTY The "body" structural property of this node type.
static SimplePropertyDescriptor	CONSTRUCTOR_PROPERTY The "constructor" structural property of this node type.
static SimplePropertyDescriptor	EXTRA_DIMENSIONS_PROPERTY The "extraDimensions" structural property of this node type.
static ChildPropertyDescriptor	JAVADOC_PROPERTY The "javadoc" structural property of this node type.
static SimplePropertyDescriptor	MODIFIERS_PROPERTY The "modifiers" structural property of this node type (JLS2 API only).
static ChildListPropertyDescriptor	MODIFIERS2_PROPERTY The "modifiers" structural property of this node type (added in JLS3 API).
static ChildPropertyDescriptor	NAME_PROPERTY The "name" structural property of this node type.
static ChildListPropertyDescriptor	PARAMETERS_PROPERTY The "parameters" structural property of this node type).
static ChildPropertyDescriptor	RETURN_TYPE_PROPERTY The "returnType" structural property of this node type (JLS2 API only).
static ChildPropertyDescriptor	RETURN_TYPE2_PROPERTY The "returnType2" structural property of this node type (added in JLS3 API).
static ChildListPropertyDescriptor	THROWN_EXCEPTIONS_PROPERTY The "thrownExceptions" structural property of this node type).
static ChildListPropertyDescriptor	TYPE_PARAMETERS_PROPERTY The "typeParameters" structural property of this node type (added in JLS3 API).

Fields inherited from class org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom.ASTNode

ANNOTATION_TYPE_DECLARATION, ANNOTATION_TYPE_MEMBER_DECLARATION, ANONYMOUS_CLASS_DECLARATION, ARRAY_ACCESS, ARRAY_CREATION, ARRAY_INITIALIZER, ARRAY_TYPE, ASSERT_STATEMENT, ASSIGNMENT, BLOCK, BLOCK_COMMENT, BOOLEAN_LITERAL, BREAK_STATEMENT, CAST_EXPRESSION, CATCH_CLAUSE, CHARACTER_LITERAL, CLASS_INSTANCE_CREATION, COMPILATION_UNIT, CONDITIONAL_EXPRESSION, CONSTRUCTOR_INVOCATION, CONTINUE_STATEMENT, DO_STATEMENT, EMPTY_STATEMENT, ENHANCED_FOR_STATEMENT, ENUM_CONSTANT_DECLARATION, ENUM_DECLARATION, EXPRESSION_STATEMENT, FIELD_ACCESS, FIELD_DECLARATION, FOR_STATEMENT, IF_STATEMENT, IMPORT_DECLARATION, INFIX_EXPRESSION, INITIALIZER, INSTANCEOF_EXPRESSION, JAVADOC, LABELED_STATEMENT, LINE_COMMENT, MALFORMED, MARKER_ANNOTATION, MEMBER_REF, MEMBER_VALUE_PAIR, METHOD_DECLARATION, METHOD_INVOCATION, METHOD_REF, METHOD_REF_PARAMETER, MODIFIER, NORMAL_ANNOTATION, NULL_LITERAL, NUMBER_LITERAL, ORIGINAL, PACKAGE_DECLARATION, PARAMETERIZED_TYPE, PARENTHESIZED_EXPRESSION, POSTFIX_EXPRESSION, PREFIX_EXPRESSION, PRIMITIVE_TYPE, PROTECT, QUALIFIED_NAME, QUALIFIED_TYPE, RECOVERED, RETURN_STATEMENT, SIMPLE_NAME, SIMPLE_TYPE, SINGLE_MEMBER_ANNOTATION, SINGLE_VARIABLE_DECLARATION, STRING_LITERAL, SUPER_CONSTRUCTOR_INVOCATION, SUPER_FIELD_ACCESS, SUPER_METHOD_INVOCATION, SWITCH_CASE, SWITCH_STATEMENT, SYNCHRONIZED_STATEMENT, TAG_ELEMENT, TEXT_ELEMENT, THIS_EXPRESSION, THROW_STATEMENT, TRY_STATEMENT, TYPE_DECLARATION, TYPE_DECLARATION_STATEMENT, TYPE_LITERAL, TYPE_PARAMETER, VARIABLE_DECLARATION_EXPRESSION, VARIABLE_DECLARATION_FRAGMENT, VARIABLE_DECLARATION_STATEMENT, WHILE_STATEMENT, WILDCARD_TYPE

Method Summary

Block	getBody() Returns the body of this method declaration, or null if this method has no body.
int	getExtraDimensions() Returns the number of extra array dimensions over and above the explicitly-specified return type.
SimpleName	getName() Returns the name of the method declared in this method declaration.
Type	getReturnType() Deprecated. In the JLS3 API, this method is replaced by getReturnType2(), which may return null.
Type	getReturnType2() Returns the return type of the method declared in this method declaration, exclusive of any extra array dimensions (added in JLS3 API).
boolean	isConstructor() Returns whether this declaration declares a constructor or a method.
boolean	isVarargs() Returns whether this method declaration declares a variable arity method (added in JLS3 API).
java.util.List	parameters() Returns the live ordered list of method parameter declarations for this method declaration.
static java.util.List	propertyDescriptors(int apiLevel) Returns a list of structural property descriptors for this node type.
IMethodBinding	resolveBinding() Resolves and returns the binding for the method or constructor declared in this method or constructor declaration.
void	setBody(Block body) Sets or clears the body of this method declaration.
void	setConstructor(boolean isConstructor) Sets whether this declaration declares a constructor or a method.
void	setExtraDimensions(int dimensions) Sets the number of extra array dimensions over and above the explicitly-specified return type.
void	setName(SimpleName methodName) Sets the name of the method declared in this method declaration to the given name.
void	setReturnType(Type type) Deprecated. In the JLS3 API, this method is replaced by setReturnType2(Type), which accepts null.
void	setReturnType2(Type type) Sets the return type of the method declared in this method declaration to the given type, exclusive of any extra array dimensions (added in JLS3 API).
java.util.List	thrownExceptions() Returns the live ordered list of thrown exception names in this method declaration.
java.util.List	typeParameters() Returns the live ordered list of type parameters of this method declaration (added in JLS3 API).

Methods inherited from class org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom.BodyDeclaration

getJavadoc, getJavadocProperty, getModifiers, getModifiersProperty, modifiers, setJavadoc, setModifiers

Methods inherited from class org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom.ASTNode

accept, copySubtree, copySubtrees, delete, equals, getAST, getFlags, getLength, getLocationInParent, getNodeType, getParent, getProperty, getRoot, getStartPosition, getStructuralProperty, hashCode, nodeClassForType, properties, setFlags, setProperty, setSourceRange, setStructuralProperty, structuralPropertiesForType, subtreeBytes, subtreeMatch, toString

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

JAVADOC_PROPERTY

public static final ChildPropertyDescriptor JAVADOC_PROPERTY

The "javadoc" structural property of this node type.

Since:

3.0

MODIFIERS_PROPERTY

public static final SimplePropertyDescriptor MODIFIERS_PROPERTY

The "modifiers" structural property of this node type (JLS2 API only).

Since:

3.0

MODIFIERS2_PROPERTY

public static final ChildListPropertyDescriptor MODIFIERS2_PROPERTY

The "modifiers" structural property of this node type (added in JLS3 API).

Since:

3.1

CONSTRUCTOR_PROPERTY

public static final SimplePropertyDescriptor CONSTRUCTOR_PROPERTY

The "constructor" structural property of this node type.

Since:

3.0

NAME_PROPERTY

public static final ChildPropertyDescriptor NAME_PROPERTY

The "name" structural property of this node type.

Since:

3.0

RETURN_TYPE_PROPERTY

public static final ChildPropertyDescriptor RETURN_TYPE_PROPERTY

The "returnType" structural property of this node type (JLS2 API only).

Since:

3.0

RETURN_TYPE2_PROPERTY

public static final ChildPropertyDescriptor RETURN_TYPE2_PROPERTY

The "returnType2" structural property of this node type (added in JLS3 API).

Since:

3.1

EXTRA_DIMENSIONS_PROPERTY

public static final SimplePropertyDescriptor EXTRA_DIMENSIONS_PROPERTY

The "extraDimensions" structural property of this node type.

Since:

3.0

TYPE_PARAMETERS_PROPERTY

public static final ChildListPropertyDescriptor TYPE_PARAMETERS_PROPERTY

The "typeParameters" structural property of this node type (added in JLS3 API).

Since:

3.1

PARAMETERS_PROPERTY

public static final ChildListPropertyDescriptor PARAMETERS_PROPERTY

The "parameters" structural property of this node type).

Since:

3.0

THROWN_EXCEPTIONS_PROPERTY

public static final ChildListPropertyDescriptor THROWN_EXCEPTIONS_PROPERTY

The "thrownExceptions" structural property of this node type).

Since:

3.0

BODY_PROPERTY

public static final ChildPropertyDescriptor BODY_PROPERTY

The "body" structural property of this node type.

Since:

3.0

Method Detail

propertyDescriptors

public static java.util.List propertyDescriptors(int apiLevel)

Returns a list of structural property descriptors for this node type. Clients must not modify the result.

Parameters:

apiLevel - the API level; one of the AST.JLS* constants

Returns:

a list of property descriptors (element type: StructuralPropertyDescriptor)

Since:

3.0

isConstructor

public boolean isConstructor()

Returns whether this declaration declares a constructor or a method.

Returns:

true if this is a constructor declaration, and false if this is a method declaration

setConstructor

public void setConstructor(boolean isConstructor)

Sets whether this declaration declares a constructor or a method.

Parameters:

isConstructor - true for a constructor declaration, and false for a method declaration

typeParameters

public java.util.List typeParameters()

Returns the live ordered list of type parameters of this method declaration (added in JLS3 API). This list is non-empty for parameterized methods.

Returns:

the live list of type parameters (element type: TypeParameter)

Throws:

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is used in a JLS2 AST

Since:

3.1

getName

public SimpleName getName()

Returns the name of the method declared in this method declaration. For a constructor declaration, this should be the same as the name of the class.

Returns:

the method name node

setName

public void setName(SimpleName methodName)

Sets the name of the method declared in this method declaration to the given name. For a constructor declaration, this should be the same as the name of the class.

Parameters:

methodName - the new method name

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if:

• the node belongs to a different AST
• the node already has a parent

parameters

public java.util.List parameters()

Returns the live ordered list of method parameter declarations for this method declaration.

Returns:

the live list of method parameter declarations (element type: SingleVariableDeclaration)

isVarargs

public boolean isVarargs()

Returns whether this method declaration declares a variable arity method (added in JLS3 API). The convenience method checks whether the last parameter is so marked.

Returns:

true if this is a variable arity method declaration, and false otherwise

Throws:

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is used in a JLS2 AST

Since:

3.1

See Also:

SingleVariableDeclaration.isVarargs()

thrownExceptions

public java.util.List thrownExceptions()

Returns the live ordered list of thrown exception names in this method declaration.

Returns:

the live list of exception names (element type: Name)

getReturnType

public Type getReturnType()

Deprecated. In the JLS3 API, this method is replaced by getReturnType2(), which may return null.

Returns the return type of the method declared in this method declaration, exclusive of any extra array dimensions (JLS2 API only). This is one of the few places where the void type is meaningful.

Note that this child is not relevant for constructor declarations (although, it does still figure in subtree equality comparisons and visits), and is devoid of the binding information ordinarily available.

Returns:

the return type, possibly the void primitive type

Throws:

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is used in an AST later than JLS2

setReturnType

public void setReturnType(Type type)

Deprecated. In the JLS3 API, this method is replaced by setReturnType2(Type), which accepts null.

Sets the return type of the method declared in this method declaration to the given type, exclusive of any extra array dimensions (JLS2 API only). This is one of the few places where the void type is meaningful.

Note that this child is not relevant for constructor declarations (although it does still figure in subtree equality comparisons and visits).

Parameters:

type - the new return type, possibly the void primitive type

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if:

• the node belongs to a different AST
• the node already has a parent

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is used in an AST later than JLS2

getReturnType2

public Type getReturnType2()

Returns the return type of the method declared in this method declaration, exclusive of any extra array dimensions (added in JLS3 API). This is one of the few places where the void type is meaningful.

Note that this child is not relevant for constructor declarations (although, if present, it does still figure in subtree equality comparisons and visits), and is devoid of the binding information ordinarily available. In the JLS2 API, the return type is mandatory. In the JLS3 API, the return type is optional.

Returns:

the return type, possibly the void primitive type, or null if none

Throws:

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is used in a JLS2 AST

Since:

3.1

setReturnType2

public void setReturnType2(Type type)

Sets the return type of the method declared in this method declaration to the given type, exclusive of any extra array dimensions (added in JLS3 API). This is one of the few places where the void type is meaningful.

Note that this child is not relevant for constructor declarations (although it does still figure in subtree equality comparisons and visits). In the JLS2 API, the return type is mandatory. In the JLS3 API, the return type is optional.

Parameters:

type - the new return type, possibly the void primitive type, or null if none

Throws:

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - if this operation is used in a JLS2 AST

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if:

• the node belongs to a different AST
• the node already has a parent

Since:

3.1

getExtraDimensions

public int getExtraDimensions()

Returns the number of extra array dimensions over and above the explicitly-specified return type.

For example, int foo()[][] has a return type of int and two extra array dimensions; int[][] foo() has a return type of int[][] and zero extra array dimensions. The two constructs have different ASTs, even though there are really syntactic variants of the same method declaration.

Returns:

the number of extra array dimensions

Since:

2.1

setExtraDimensions

public void setExtraDimensions(int dimensions)

Sets the number of extra array dimensions over and above the explicitly-specified return type.

For example, int foo()[][] is rendered as a return type of int with two extra array dimensions; int[][] foo() is rendered as a return type of int[][] with zero extra array dimensions. The two constructs have different ASTs, even though there are really syntactic variants of the same method declaration.

Parameters:

dimensions - the number of array dimensions

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if the number of dimensions is negative

Since:

2.1

getBody

public Block getBody()

Returns the body of this method declaration, or null if this method has no body.

Note that there is a subtle difference between having no body and having an empty body ("{}").

Returns:

the method body, or null if this method has no body

setBody

public void setBody(Block body)

Sets or clears the body of this method declaration.

Note that there is a subtle difference between having no body (as in "void foo();") and having an empty body (as in "void foo() {}"). Abstract methods, and methods declared in interfaces, have no body. Non-abstract methods, and all constructors, have a body.

Parameters:

body - the block node, or null if there is none

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if:

• the node belongs to a different AST
• the node already has a parent
• a cycle in would be created

resolveBinding

public IMethodBinding resolveBinding()

Resolves and returns the binding for the method or constructor declared in this method or constructor declaration.

Note that bindings are generally unavailable unless requested when the AST is being built.

Returns:

the binding, or null if the binding cannot be resolved