1 /*
   2  * Copyright (c) 2005, 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
   3  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
   4  *
   5  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
   6  * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
   7  * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Oracle designates this
   8  * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
   9  * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
  10  *
  11  * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
  12  * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
  13  * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
  14  * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
  15  * accompanied this code).
  16  *
  17  * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
  18  * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
  19  * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  20  *
  21  * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
  22  * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
  23  * questions.
  24  */
  25 
  26 package javax.lang.model.element;
  27 
  28 import javax.lang.model.type.TypeMirror;
  29 import javax.lang.model.util.Elements;
  30 
  31 /**
  32  * Represents a field, {@code enum} constant, method or constructor
  33  * parameter, local variable, resource variable, or exception
  34  * parameter.
  35  *
  36  * @author Joseph D. Darcy
  37  * @author Scott Seligman
  38  * @author Peter von der Ahé
  39  * @since 1.6
  40  */
  41 public interface VariableElement extends Element {
  42 
  43     /**
  44      * Returns the value of this variable if this is a {@code final}
  45      * field initialized to a compile-time constant.  Returns {@code
  46      * null} otherwise.  The value will be of a primitive type or a
  47      * {@code String}.  If the value is of a primitive type, it is
  48      * wrapped in the appropriate wrapper class (such as {@link
  49      * Integer}).
  50      *
  51      * <p>Note that not all {@code final} fields will have
  52      * constant values.  In particular, {@code enum} constants are
  53      * <em>not</em> considered to be compile-time constants.  To have a
  54      * constant value, a field's type must be either a primitive type
  55      * or {@code String}.
  56      *
  57      * @return the value of this variable if this is a {@code final}
  58      * field initialized to a compile-time constant, or {@code null}
  59      * otherwise
  60      *
  61      * @see Elements#getConstantExpression(Object)
  62      * @jls3 15.28 Constant Expression
  63      * @jls3 4.12.4 final Variables
  64      */
  65     Object getConstantValue();
  66 }