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Re: Java generics and type erasure

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Ian Shef wrote:
> Lew wrote:
>> Type erasure has absolutely nothing to do with this.  Type erasure
>> happens at run time.  It will never create a compiler error.

> Au contraire.  The Java Tutorial says "When a generic type is instantiated,
> the compiler translates those types by a technique called type erasure � a
> process where the compiler removes all information related to type parameters
> and type arguments within a class or method."
> See
> <http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/generics/erasure.html>
>
> I interpret this to mean that type erasure happens at compile time - not at
> run time.

OK, I see what you mean, but that's only after the compiler's enforcement of 
the type parameters.  If they don't fly, the erasure doesn't happen.  So what 
I meant, and said incorrectly, that *to the compiler*, the generic type 
exists, but *to the runtime* it's already been erased.  So the fact that the 
type parameter has been erased shows up at run time, and the type information 
in the parameter shows up at compile time.

You are correct.  The difference between how you and I think of it is that I'm 
thinking in terms of where you see the type-parameter errors, that is, on 
input to the compiler.  You're seeing where the actual erasure occurs, that 
is, on output from the compiler.

I will be more rigorous in my explanation of that henceforth.  Thanks for the 
nuance.

-- 
Lew
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Friz.jpg

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Java generics and type erasure Marcin Pietraszek <m.pietraszek@gmail.com> - 2011-05-23 13:18 -0700
  Re: Java generics and type erasure "John B. Matthews" <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-05-23 22:54 -0400
    Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-24 01:45 -0400
      Re: Java generics and type erasure Marcin Pietraszek <m.pietraszek@gmail.com> - 2011-05-24 12:39 -0700
      Re: Java generics and type erasure Ian Shef <invalid@avoiding.spam> - 2011-05-24 20:04 +0000
        Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-24 17:06 -0400
          Re: Java generics and type erasure Ian Shef <invalid@avoiding.spam> - 2011-05-24 23:05 +0000
            Re: Java generics and type erasure Susan Calvin <s.calvin@usr.invalid> - 2011-05-25 00:13 +0000
              Re: Java generics and type erasure Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@geek-central.gen.new_zealand> - 2011-05-26 10:18 +1200
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Susan Calvin <s.calvin@usr.invalid> - 2011-05-26 01:12 +0000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@geek-central.gen.new_zealand> - 2011-05-26 13:59 +1200
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Susan Calvin <s.calvin@usr.invalid> - 2011-05-26 04:18 +0000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@geek-central.gen.new_zealand> - 2011-05-26 18:48 +1200
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-26 18:34 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-26 07:45 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure "John B. Matthews" <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-05-26 15:25 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-27 12:01 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-26 22:15 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-27 13:04 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-27 01:27 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-27 18:07 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-27 10:18 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Andreas Leitgeb <avl@gamma.logic.tuwien.ac.at> - 2011-05-27 17:03 +0000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-27 13:27 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-30 15:19 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Tom McGlynn <taqmcg@gmail.com> - 2011-05-26 19:53 -0700
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-27 01:30 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-27 18:09 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-27 10:22 -0400
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Esmond Pitt <esmond.pitt@bigpond.com> - 2011-05-30 15:23 +1000
                Re: Java generics and type erasure Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2011-05-30 02:35 -0400

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