Abstract: Various embodiments herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and/or data structures to implement a multi-way branch statement in a computer programming language. The multi-way branch statement may include a plurality of case labels each having a non-primitive data type (e.g., strings) and being associated with a block of code to be executed dependent upon a control variable that also has a non-primitive data type. The implementation may include encoding the case labels for the multi-way branch statement as a binary decision diagram (BDD), such as a zero-suppressed binary decision diagram (ZDD), wherein the control variable for the multi-way branch statement may be compared with the case labels by stepping through the BDD. The BDD may include identifiers that provide information regarding which of the case labels is matched by the control variable, such that an appropriate code block may be executed.

Abstract: A technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention provides introspection support for anonymous and local classes. As a result of the technique, an enclosing class that defines a generic type variable that is not defined within a local or anonymous class that refers to the generic type variable can be determined. According to one embodiment of the invention, when a compiler determines that a particular class is a local or anonymous class, the compiler emits, into the particular class' binary class file, information that indicates which class encloses the particular class. In response to the invocation of a method (described herein) relative to a reflective proxy that corresponds to an enclosed class, information that identifies an enclosing class that encloses the enclosed class is returned. This is so even if the enclosed class is a local or anonymous class.

Abstract: Methods for discovering and accessing annotation processors are provided. The method initiates with identifying an annotation present in a source file and identifying factories available for processing annotations. The method includes determining annotations supported by each of the available factories. Then, one of the available factories is assigned to process the annotation based on the annotation present in the source file being supported by the one of the available factories. A computer readable medium is also provided.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a technique for supporting introspection of generic types while maintaining migration compatibility. According to one aspect of this technique, in response to an invocation of a programmatic method of a reflective proxy, a string representation of a program element that corresponds to the reflective proxy is generated. The string representation contains information that is based on formal type parameters that are associated with the declaration of the generic type that is associated with the program element. According to another aspect, the programmatic method described above differs from another existing programmatic method “toString( )” that generates a string representation that does not indicate generic type-specific information. Thus, programs that depend upon the existing implementation of the “toString( )” method may continue to use it.

Abstract: Methods for processing annotations from files are provided. The method initiates with identifying an annotation present in a source file or a class file, and identifying factories available for processing annotations. The method includes determining annotations supported by each of the available factories. Then, one of the available factories is assigned to process the annotation based on the annotation present in the source file or the class file being supported by the one of the available factories. The annotation processing tool directly accesses the class files to process the annotations. The explicitly processed class files may or may not be referenced by source files.