src/share/classes/java/lang/invoke/MethodHandle.java

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  27 
  28 
  29 import java.util.*;
  30 import sun.invoke.util.*;
  31 import sun.misc.Unsafe;
  32 
  33 import static java.lang.invoke.MethodHandleStatics.*;
  34 import java.util.logging.Level;
  35 import java.util.logging.Logger;
  36 
  37 /**
  38  * A method handle is a typed, directly executable reference to an underlying method,
  39  * constructor, field, or similar low-level operation, with optional
  40  * transformations of arguments or return values.
  41  * These transformations are quite general, and include such patterns as
  42  * {@linkplain #asType conversion},
  43  * {@linkplain #bindTo insertion},
  44  * {@linkplain java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#dropArguments deletion},
  45  * and {@linkplain java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#filterArguments substitution}.
  46  *
  47  * <h3>Method handle contents</h3>
  48  * Method handles are dynamically and strongly typed according to their parameter and return types.
  49  * They are not distinguished by the name or the defining class of their underlying methods.
  50  * A method handle must be invoked using a symbolic type descriptor which matches
  51  * the method handle's own {@linkplain #type type descriptor}.
  52  * <p>
  53  * Every method handle reports its type descriptor via the {@link #type type} accessor.
  54  * This type descriptor is a {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodType MethodType} object,
  55  * whose structure is a series of classes, one of which is
  56  * the return type of the method (or {@code void.class} if none).
  57  * <p>
  58  * A method handle's type controls the types of invocations it accepts,
  59  * and the kinds of transformations that apply to it.
  60  * <p>
  61  * A method handle contains a pair of special invoker methods
  62  * called {@link #invokeExact invokeExact} and {@link #invoke invoke}.
  63  * Both invoker methods provide direct access to the method handle's
  64  * underlying method, constructor, field, or other operation,
  65  * as modified by transformations of arguments and return values.
  66  * Both invokers accept calls which exactly match the method handle's own type.
  67  * The plain, inexact invoker also accepts a range of other call types.
  68  * <p>
  69  * Method handles are immutable and have no visible state.
  70  * Of course, they can be bound to underlying methods or data which exhibit state.
  71  * With respect to the Java Memory Model, any method handle will behave
  72  * as if all of its (internal) fields are final variables.  This means that any method
  73  * handle made visible to the application will always be fully formed.
  74  * This is true even if the method handle is published through a shared
  75  * variable in a data race.
  76  * <p>
  77  * Method handles cannot be subclassed by the user.
  78  * Implementations may (or may not) create internal subclasses of {@code MethodHandle}
  79  * which may be visible via the {@link java.lang.Object#getClass Object.getClass}
  80  * operation.  The programmer should not draw conclusions about a method handle
  81  * from its specific class, as the method handle class hierarchy (if any)
  82  * may change from time to time or across implementations from different vendors.
  83  *
  84  * <h3>Method handle compilation</h3>
  85  * A Java method call expression naming {@code invokeExact} or {@code invoke}
  86  * can invoke a method handle from Java source code.
  87  * From the viewpoint of source code, these methods can take any arguments
  88  * and their result can be cast to any return type.
  89  * Formally this is accomplished by giving the invoker methods
  90  * {@code Object} return types and variable arity {@code Object} arguments,
  91  * but they have an additional quality called <em>signature polymorphism</em>
  92  * which connects this freedom of invocation directly to the JVM execution stack.
  93  * <p>
  94  * As is usual with virtual methods, source-level calls to {@code invokeExact}
  95  * and {@code invoke} compile to an {@code invokevirtual} instruction.
  96  * More unusually, the compiler must record the actual argument types,
  97  * and may not perform method invocation conversions on the arguments.
  98  * Instead, it must push them on the stack according to their own unconverted types.
  99  * The method handle object itself is pushed on the stack before the arguments.
 100  * The compiler then calls the method handle with a symbolic type descriptor which
 101  * describes the argument and return types.
 102  * <p>
 103  * To issue a complete symbolic type descriptor, the compiler must also determine
 104  * the return type.  This is based on a cast on the method invocation expression,
 105  * if there is one, or else {@code Object} if the invocation is an expression
 106  * or else {@code void} if the invocation is a statement.
 107  * The cast may be to a primitive type (but not {@code void}).
 108  * <p>
 109  * As a corner case, an uncasted {@code null} argument is given
 110  * a symbolic type descriptor of {@code java.lang.Void}.
 111  * The ambiguity with the type {@code Void} is harmless, since there are no references of type
 112  * {@code Void} except the null reference.
 113  *
 114  * <h3>Method handle invocation</h3>
 115  * The first time a {@code invokevirtual} instruction is executed
 116  * it is linked, by symbolically resolving the names in the instruction
 117  * and verifying that the method call is statically legal.
 118  * This is true of calls to {@code invokeExact} and {@code invoke}.
 119  * In this case, the symbolic type descriptor emitted by the compiler is checked for
 120  * correct syntax and names it contains are resolved.
 121  * Thus, an {@code invokevirtual} instruction which invokes
 122  * a method handle will always link, as long
 123  * as the symbolic type descriptor is syntactically well-formed
 124  * and the types exist.
 125  * <p>
 126  * When the {@code invokevirtual} is executed after linking,
 127  * the receiving method handle's type is first checked by the JVM
 128  * to ensure that it matches the symbolic type descriptor.
 129  * If the type match fails, it means that the method which the
 130  * caller is invoking is not present on the individual
 131  * method handle being invoked.
 132  * <p>
 133  * In the case of {@code invokeExact}, the type descriptor of the invocation
 134  * (after resolving symbolic type names) must exactly match the method type


 137  * must be a valid argument to the receiver's {@link #asType asType} method.
 138  * Thus, plain {@code invoke} is more permissive than {@code invokeExact}.
 139  * <p>
 140  * After type matching, a call to {@code invokeExact} directly
 141  * and immediately invoke the method handle's underlying method
 142  * (or other behavior, as the case may be).
 143  * <p>
 144  * A call to plain {@code invoke} works the same as a call to
 145  * {@code invokeExact}, if the symbolic type descriptor specified by the caller
 146  * exactly matches the method handle's own type.
 147  * If there is a type mismatch, {@code invoke} attempts
 148  * to adjust the type of the receiving method handle,
 149  * as if by a call to {@link #asType asType},
 150  * to obtain an exactly invokable method handle {@code M2}.
 151  * This allows a more powerful negotiation of method type
 152  * between caller and callee.
 153  * <p>
 154  * (<em>Note:</em> The adjusted method handle {@code M2} is not directly observable,
 155  * and implementations are therefore not required to materialize it.)
 156  *
 157  * <h3>Invocation checking</h3>
 158  * In typical programs, method handle type matching will usually succeed.
 159  * But if a match fails, the JVM will throw a {@link WrongMethodTypeException},
 160  * either directly (in the case of {@code invokeExact}) or indirectly as if
 161  * by a failed call to {@code asType} (in the case of {@code invoke}).
 162  * <p>
 163  * Thus, a method type mismatch which might show up as a linkage error
 164  * in a statically typed program can show up as
 165  * a dynamic {@code WrongMethodTypeException}
 166  * in a program which uses method handles.
 167  * <p>
 168  * Because method types contain "live" {@code Class} objects,
 169  * method type matching takes into account both types names and class loaders.
 170  * Thus, even if a method handle {@code M} is created in one
 171  * class loader {@code L1} and used in another {@code L2},
 172  * method handle calls are type-safe, because the caller's symbolic type
 173  * descriptor, as resolved in {@code L2},
 174  * is matched against the original callee method's symbolic type descriptor,
 175  * as resolved in {@code L1}.
 176  * The resolution in {@code L1} happens when {@code M} is created
 177  * and its type is assigned, while the resolution in {@code L2} happens
 178  * when the {@code invokevirtual} instruction is linked.
 179  * <p>
 180  * Apart from the checking of type descriptors,
 181  * a method handle's capability to call its underlying method is unrestricted.
 182  * If a method handle is formed on a non-public method by a class
 183  * that has access to that method, the resulting handle can be used
 184  * in any place by any caller who receives a reference to it.
 185  * <p>
 186  * Unlike with the Core Reflection API, where access is checked every time
 187  * a reflective method is invoked,
 188  * method handle access checking is performed
 189  * <a href="MethodHandles.Lookup.html#access">when the method handle is created</a>.
 190  * In the case of {@code ldc} (see below), access checking is performed as part of linking
 191  * the constant pool entry underlying the constant method handle.
 192  * <p>
 193  * Thus, handles to non-public methods, or to methods in non-public classes,
 194  * should generally be kept secret.
 195  * They should not be passed to untrusted code unless their use from
 196  * the untrusted code would be harmless.
 197  *
 198  * <h3>Method handle creation</h3>
 199  * Java code can create a method handle that directly accesses
 200  * any method, constructor, or field that is accessible to that code.
 201  * This is done via a reflective, capability-based API called
 202  * {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup MethodHandles.Lookup}
 203  * For example, a static method handle can be obtained
 204  * from {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#findStatic Lookup.findStatic}.
 205  * There are also conversion methods from Core Reflection API objects,
 206  * such as {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect}.
 207  * <p>
 208  * Like classes and strings, method handles that correspond to accessible
 209  * fields, methods, and constructors can also be represented directly
 210  * in a class file's constant pool as constants to be loaded by {@code ldc} bytecodes.
 211  * A new type of constant pool entry, {@code CONSTANT_MethodHandle},
 212  * refers directly to an associated {@code CONSTANT_Methodref},
 213  * {@code CONSTANT_InterfaceMethodref}, or {@code CONSTANT_Fieldref}
 214  * constant pool entry.
 215  * (For full details on method handle constants,
 216  * see sections 4.4.8 and 5.4.3.5 of the Java Virtual Machine Specification.)
 217  * <p>
 218  * Method handles produced by lookups or constant loads from methods or


 232  * their corresponding bytecode instructions, and the {@code ldc} instruction
 233  * will throw corresponding linkage errors if the bytecode behaviors would
 234  * throw such errors.
 235  * <p>
 236  * As a corollary of this, access to protected members is restricted
 237  * to receivers only of the accessing class, or one of its subclasses,
 238  * and the accessing class must in turn be a subclass (or package sibling)
 239  * of the protected member's defining class.
 240  * If a method reference refers to a protected non-static method or field
 241  * of a class outside the current package, the receiver argument will
 242  * be narrowed to the type of the accessing class.
 243  * <p>
 244  * When a method handle to a virtual method is invoked, the method is
 245  * always looked up in the receiver (that is, the first argument).
 246  * <p>
 247  * A non-virtual method handle to a specific virtual method implementation
 248  * can also be created.  These do not perform virtual lookup based on
 249  * receiver type.  Such a method handle simulates the effect of
 250  * an {@code invokespecial} instruction to the same method.
 251  *
 252  * <h3>Usage examples</h3>
 253  * Here are some examples of usage:
 254  * <p><blockquote><pre>{@code
 255 Object x, y; String s; int i;
 256 MethodType mt; MethodHandle mh;
 257 MethodHandles.Lookup lookup = MethodHandles.lookup();
 258 // mt is (char,char)String
 259 mt = MethodType.methodType(String.class, char.class, char.class);
 260 mh = lookup.findVirtual(String.class, "replace", mt);
 261 s = (String) mh.invokeExact("daddy",'d','n');
 262 // invokeExact(Ljava/lang/String;CC)Ljava/lang/String;
 263 assertEquals(s, "nanny");
 264 // weakly typed invocation (using MHs.invoke)
 265 s = (String) mh.invokeWithArguments("sappy", 'p', 'v');
 266 assertEquals(s, "savvy");
 267 // mt is (Object[])List
 268 mt = MethodType.methodType(java.util.List.class, Object[].class);
 269 mh = lookup.findStatic(java.util.Arrays.class, "asList", mt);
 270 assert(mh.isVarargsCollector());
 271 x = mh.invoke("one", "two");
 272 // invoke(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/Object;


 278 // invokeExact(Ljava/lang/Object;Ljava/lang/Object;Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lang/Object;
 279 assertEquals(x, java.util.Arrays.asList(1,2,3));
 280 // mt is ()int
 281 mt = MethodType.methodType(int.class);
 282 mh = lookup.findVirtual(java.util.List.class, "size", mt);
 283 i = (int) mh.invokeExact(java.util.Arrays.asList(1,2,3));
 284 // invokeExact(Ljava/util/List;)I
 285 assert(i == 3);
 286 mt = MethodType.methodType(void.class, String.class);
 287 mh = lookup.findVirtual(java.io.PrintStream.class, "println", mt);
 288 mh.invokeExact(System.out, "Hello, world.");
 289 // invokeExact(Ljava/io/PrintStream;Ljava/lang/String;)V
 290  * }</pre></blockquote>
 291  * Each of the above calls to {@code invokeExact} or plain {@code invoke}
 292  * generates a single invokevirtual instruction with
 293  * the symbolic type descriptor indicated in the following comment.
 294  * In these examples, the helper method {@code assertEquals} is assumed to
 295  * be a method which calls {@link java.util.Objects#equals(Object,Object) Objects.equals }
 296  * on its arguments, and asserts that the result is true.
 297  *
 298  * <h3>Exceptions</h3>
 299  * The methods {@code invokeExact} and {@code invoke} are declared
 300  * to throw {@link java.lang.Throwable Throwable},
 301  * which is to say that there is no static restriction on what a method handle
 302  * can throw.  Since the JVM does not distinguish between checked
 303  * and unchecked exceptions (other than by their class, of course),
 304  * there is no particular effect on bytecode shape from ascribing
 305  * checked exceptions to method handle invocations.  But in Java source
 306  * code, methods which perform method handle calls must either explicitly
 307  * throw {@code Throwable}, or else must catch all
 308  * throwables locally, rethrowing only those which are legal in the context,
 309  * and wrapping ones which are illegal.
 310  *
 311  * <h3><a name="sigpoly"></a>Signature polymorphism</h3>
 312  * The unusual compilation and linkage behavior of
 313  * {@code invokeExact} and plain {@code invoke}
 314  * is referenced by the term <em>signature polymorphism</em>.
 315  * As defined in the Java Language Specification,
 316  * a signature polymorphic method is one which can operate with
 317  * any of a wide range of call signatures and return types.
 318  * <p>
 319  * In source code, a call to a signature polymorphic method will
 320  * compile, regardless of the requested symbolic type descriptor.
 321  * As usual, the Java compiler emits an {@code invokevirtual}
 322  * instruction with the given symbolic type descriptor against the named method.
 323  * The unusual part is that the symbolic type descriptor is derived from
 324  * the actual argument and return types, not from the method declaration.
 325  * <p>
 326  * When the JVM processes bytecode containing signature polymorphic calls,
 327  * it will successfully link any such call, regardless of its symbolic type descriptor.
 328  * (In order to retain type safety, the JVM will guard such calls with suitable
 329  * dynamic type checks, as described elsewhere.)
 330  * <p>
 331  * Bytecode generators, including the compiler back end, are required to emit
 332  * untransformed symbolic type descriptors for these methods.
 333  * Tools which determine symbolic linkage are required to accept such
 334  * untransformed descriptors, without reporting linkage errors.
 335  *
 336  * <h3>Interoperation between method handles and the Core Reflection API</h3>
 337  * Using factory methods in the {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup Lookup} API,
 338  * any class member represented by a Core Reflection API object
 339  * can be converted to a behaviorally equivalent method handle.
 340  * For example, a reflective {@link java.lang.reflect.Method Method} can
 341  * be converted to a method handle using
 342  * {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect}.
 343  * The resulting method handles generally provide more direct and efficient
 344  * access to the underlying class members.
 345  * <p>
 346  * As a special case,
 347  * when the Core Reflection API is used to view the signature polymorphic
 348  * methods {@code invokeExact} or plain {@code invoke} in this class,
 349  * they appear as ordinary non-polymorphic methods.
 350  * Their reflective appearance, as viewed by
 351  * {@link java.lang.Class#getDeclaredMethod Class.getDeclaredMethod},
 352  * is unaffected by their special status in this API.
 353  * For example, {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#getModifiers Method.getModifiers}
 354  * will report exactly those modifier bits required for any similarly
 355  * declared method, including in this case {@code native} and {@code varargs} bits.
 356  * <p>


 358  * invoked via {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#invoke java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke}.
 359  * However, such reflective calls do not result in method handle invocations.
 360  * Such a call, if passed the required argument
 361  * (a single one, of type {@code Object[]}), will ignore the argument and
 362  * will throw an {@code UnsupportedOperationException}.
 363  * <p>
 364  * Since {@code invokevirtual} instructions can natively
 365  * invoke method handles under any symbolic type descriptor, this reflective view conflicts
 366  * with the normal presentation of these methods via bytecodes.
 367  * Thus, these two native methods, when reflectively viewed by
 368  * {@code Class.getDeclaredMethod}, may be regarded as placeholders only.
 369  * <p>
 370  * In order to obtain an invoker method for a particular type descriptor,
 371  * use {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#exactInvoker MethodHandles.exactInvoker},
 372  * or {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#invoker MethodHandles.invoker}.
 373  * The {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#findVirtual Lookup.findVirtual}
 374  * API is also able to return a method handle
 375  * to call {@code invokeExact} or plain {@code invoke},
 376  * for any specified type descriptor .
 377  *
 378  * <h3>Interoperation between method handles and Java generics</h3>
 379  * A method handle can be obtained on a method, constructor, or field
 380  * which is declared with Java generic types.
 381  * As with the Core Reflection API, the type of the method handle
 382  * will constructed from the erasure of the source-level type.
 383  * When a method handle is invoked, the types of its arguments
 384  * or the return value cast type may be generic types or type instances.
 385  * If this occurs, the compiler will replace those
 386  * types by their erasures when it constructs the symbolic type descriptor
 387  * for the {@code invokevirtual} instruction.
 388  * <p>
 389  * Method handles do not represent
 390  * their function-like types in terms of Java parameterized (generic) types,
 391  * because there are three mismatches between function-like types and parameterized
 392  * Java types.
 393  * <ul>
 394  * <li>Method types range over all possible arities,
 395  * from no arguments to up to 255 of arguments (a limit imposed by the JVM).
 396  * Generics are not variadic, and so cannot represent this.</li>
 397  * <li>Method types can specify arguments of primitive types,
 398  * which Java generic types cannot range over.</li>


 440         type.getClass();  // explicit NPE
 441         form.getClass();  // explicit NPE
 442         this.type = type;
 443         this.form = form;
 444 
 445         form.prepare();  // TO DO:  Try to delay this step until just before invocation.
 446     }
 447 
 448     /**
 449      * Invokes the method handle, allowing any caller type descriptor, but requiring an exact type match.
 450      * The symbolic type descriptor at the call site of {@code invokeExact} must
 451      * exactly match this method handle's {@link #type type}.
 452      * No conversions are allowed on arguments or return values.
 453      * <p>
 454      * When this method is observed via the Core Reflection API,
 455      * it will appear as a single native method, taking an object array and returning an object.
 456      * If this native method is invoked directly via
 457      * {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#invoke java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke}, via JNI,
 458      * or indirectly via {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect},
 459      * it will throw an {@code UnsupportedOperationException}.


 460      * @throws WrongMethodTypeException if the target's type is not identical with the caller's symbolic type descriptor
 461      * @throws Throwable anything thrown by the underlying method propagates unchanged through the method handle call
 462      */
 463     public final native @PolymorphicSignature Object invokeExact(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 464 
 465     /**
 466      * Invokes the method handle, allowing any caller type descriptor,
 467      * and optionally performing conversions on arguments and return values.
 468      * <p>
 469      * If the call site's symbolic type descriptor exactly matches this method handle's {@link #type type},
 470      * the call proceeds as if by {@link #invokeExact invokeExact}.
 471      * <p>
 472      * Otherwise, the call proceeds as if this method handle were first
 473      * adjusted by calling {@link #asType asType} to adjust this method handle
 474      * to the required type, and then the call proceeds as if by
 475      * {@link #invokeExact invokeExact} on the adjusted method handle.
 476      * <p>
 477      * There is no guarantee that the {@code asType} call is actually made.
 478      * If the JVM can predict the results of making the call, it may perform
 479      * adaptations directly on the caller's arguments,
 480      * and call the target method handle according to its own exact type.
 481      * <p>
 482      * The resolved type descriptor at the call site of {@code invoke} must
 483      * be a valid argument to the receivers {@code asType} method.
 484      * In particular, the caller must specify the same argument arity
 485      * as the callee's type,
 486      * if the callee is not a {@linkplain #asVarargsCollector variable arity collector}.
 487      * <p>
 488      * When this method is observed via the Core Reflection API,
 489      * it will appear as a single native method, taking an object array and returning an object.
 490      * If this native method is invoked directly via
 491      * {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#invoke java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke}, via JNI,
 492      * or indirectly via {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect},
 493      * it will throw an {@code UnsupportedOperationException}.


 494      * @throws WrongMethodTypeException if the target's type cannot be adjusted to the caller's symbolic type descriptor
 495      * @throws ClassCastException if the target's type can be adjusted to the caller, but a reference cast fails
 496      * @throws Throwable anything thrown by the underlying method propagates unchanged through the method handle call
 497      */
 498     public final native @PolymorphicSignature Object invoke(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 499 
 500     /**
 501      * Private method for trusted invocation of a method handle respecting simplified signatures.
 502      * Type mismatches will not throw {@code WrongMethodTypeException}, but could crash the JVM.
 503      * <p>
 504      * The caller signature is restricted to the following basic types:
 505      * Object, int, long, float, double, and void return.
 506      * <p>
 507      * The caller is responsible for maintaining type correctness by ensuring
 508      * that the each outgoing argument value is a member of the range of the corresponding
 509      * callee argument type.
 510      * (The caller should therefore issue appropriate casts and integer narrowing
 511      * operations on outgoing argument values.)
 512      * The caller can assume that the incoming result value is part of the range
 513      * of the callee's return type.


 514      */
 515     /*non-public*/ final native @PolymorphicSignature Object invokeBasic(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 516 







 517     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToVirtual(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 518 
 519     /**
 520      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeStatic}.
 521      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 522      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.


 523      */
 524     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToStatic(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 525 
 526     /**
 527      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeSpecial}.
 528      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 529      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.


 530      */
 531     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToSpecial(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 532 
 533     /**
 534      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeInterface}.
 535      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 536      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.


 537      */
 538     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToInterface(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 539 
 540     /**
 541      * Performs a variable arity invocation, passing the arguments in the given array
 542      * to the method handle, as if via an inexact {@link #invoke invoke} from a call site
 543      * which mentions only the type {@code Object}, and whose arity is the length
 544      * of the argument array.
 545      * <p>
 546      * Specifically, execution proceeds as if by the following steps,
 547      * although the methods are not guaranteed to be called if the JVM
 548      * can predict their effects.
 549      * <ul>
 550      * <li>Determine the length of the argument array as {@code N}.
 551      *     For a null reference, {@code N=0}. </li>
 552      * <li>Determine the general type {@code TN} of {@code N} arguments as
 553      *     as {@code TN=MethodType.genericMethodType(N)}.</li>
 554      * <li>Force the original target method handle {@code MH0} to the
 555      *     required type, as {@code MH1 = MH0.asType(TN)}. </li>
 556      * <li>Spread the array into {@code N} separate arguments {@code A0, ...}. </li>




  27 
  28 
  29 import java.util.*;
  30 import sun.invoke.util.*;
  31 import sun.misc.Unsafe;
  32 
  33 import static java.lang.invoke.MethodHandleStatics.*;
  34 import java.util.logging.Level;
  35 import java.util.logging.Logger;
  36 
  37 /**
  38  * A method handle is a typed, directly executable reference to an underlying method,
  39  * constructor, field, or similar low-level operation, with optional
  40  * transformations of arguments or return values.
  41  * These transformations are quite general, and include such patterns as
  42  * {@linkplain #asType conversion},
  43  * {@linkplain #bindTo insertion},
  44  * {@linkplain java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#dropArguments deletion},
  45  * and {@linkplain java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#filterArguments substitution}.
  46  *
  47  * <h1>Method handle contents</h1>
  48  * Method handles are dynamically and strongly typed according to their parameter and return types.
  49  * They are not distinguished by the name or the defining class of their underlying methods.
  50  * A method handle must be invoked using a symbolic type descriptor which matches
  51  * the method handle's own {@linkplain #type type descriptor}.
  52  * <p>
  53  * Every method handle reports its type descriptor via the {@link #type type} accessor.
  54  * This type descriptor is a {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodType MethodType} object,
  55  * whose structure is a series of classes, one of which is
  56  * the return type of the method (or {@code void.class} if none).
  57  * <p>
  58  * A method handle's type controls the types of invocations it accepts,
  59  * and the kinds of transformations that apply to it.
  60  * <p>
  61  * A method handle contains a pair of special invoker methods
  62  * called {@link #invokeExact invokeExact} and {@link #invoke invoke}.
  63  * Both invoker methods provide direct access to the method handle's
  64  * underlying method, constructor, field, or other operation,
  65  * as modified by transformations of arguments and return values.
  66  * Both invokers accept calls which exactly match the method handle's own type.
  67  * The plain, inexact invoker also accepts a range of other call types.
  68  * <p>
  69  * Method handles are immutable and have no visible state.
  70  * Of course, they can be bound to underlying methods or data which exhibit state.
  71  * With respect to the Java Memory Model, any method handle will behave
  72  * as if all of its (internal) fields are final variables.  This means that any method
  73  * handle made visible to the application will always be fully formed.
  74  * This is true even if the method handle is published through a shared
  75  * variable in a data race.
  76  * <p>
  77  * Method handles cannot be subclassed by the user.
  78  * Implementations may (or may not) create internal subclasses of {@code MethodHandle}
  79  * which may be visible via the {@link java.lang.Object#getClass Object.getClass}
  80  * operation.  The programmer should not draw conclusions about a method handle
  81  * from its specific class, as the method handle class hierarchy (if any)
  82  * may change from time to time or across implementations from different vendors.
  83  *
  84  * <h1>Method handle compilation</h1>
  85  * A Java method call expression naming {@code invokeExact} or {@code invoke}
  86  * can invoke a method handle from Java source code.
  87  * From the viewpoint of source code, these methods can take any arguments
  88  * and their result can be cast to any return type.
  89  * Formally this is accomplished by giving the invoker methods
  90  * {@code Object} return types and variable arity {@code Object} arguments,
  91  * but they have an additional quality called <em>signature polymorphism</em>
  92  * which connects this freedom of invocation directly to the JVM execution stack.
  93  * <p>
  94  * As is usual with virtual methods, source-level calls to {@code invokeExact}
  95  * and {@code invoke} compile to an {@code invokevirtual} instruction.
  96  * More unusually, the compiler must record the actual argument types,
  97  * and may not perform method invocation conversions on the arguments.
  98  * Instead, it must push them on the stack according to their own unconverted types.
  99  * The method handle object itself is pushed on the stack before the arguments.
 100  * The compiler then calls the method handle with a symbolic type descriptor which
 101  * describes the argument and return types.
 102  * <p>
 103  * To issue a complete symbolic type descriptor, the compiler must also determine
 104  * the return type.  This is based on a cast on the method invocation expression,
 105  * if there is one, or else {@code Object} if the invocation is an expression
 106  * or else {@code void} if the invocation is a statement.
 107  * The cast may be to a primitive type (but not {@code void}).
 108  * <p>
 109  * As a corner case, an uncasted {@code null} argument is given
 110  * a symbolic type descriptor of {@code java.lang.Void}.
 111  * The ambiguity with the type {@code Void} is harmless, since there are no references of type
 112  * {@code Void} except the null reference.
 113  *
 114  * <h1>Method handle invocation</h1>
 115  * The first time a {@code invokevirtual} instruction is executed
 116  * it is linked, by symbolically resolving the names in the instruction
 117  * and verifying that the method call is statically legal.
 118  * This is true of calls to {@code invokeExact} and {@code invoke}.
 119  * In this case, the symbolic type descriptor emitted by the compiler is checked for
 120  * correct syntax and names it contains are resolved.
 121  * Thus, an {@code invokevirtual} instruction which invokes
 122  * a method handle will always link, as long
 123  * as the symbolic type descriptor is syntactically well-formed
 124  * and the types exist.
 125  * <p>
 126  * When the {@code invokevirtual} is executed after linking,
 127  * the receiving method handle's type is first checked by the JVM
 128  * to ensure that it matches the symbolic type descriptor.
 129  * If the type match fails, it means that the method which the
 130  * caller is invoking is not present on the individual
 131  * method handle being invoked.
 132  * <p>
 133  * In the case of {@code invokeExact}, the type descriptor of the invocation
 134  * (after resolving symbolic type names) must exactly match the method type


 137  * must be a valid argument to the receiver's {@link #asType asType} method.
 138  * Thus, plain {@code invoke} is more permissive than {@code invokeExact}.
 139  * <p>
 140  * After type matching, a call to {@code invokeExact} directly
 141  * and immediately invoke the method handle's underlying method
 142  * (or other behavior, as the case may be).
 143  * <p>
 144  * A call to plain {@code invoke} works the same as a call to
 145  * {@code invokeExact}, if the symbolic type descriptor specified by the caller
 146  * exactly matches the method handle's own type.
 147  * If there is a type mismatch, {@code invoke} attempts
 148  * to adjust the type of the receiving method handle,
 149  * as if by a call to {@link #asType asType},
 150  * to obtain an exactly invokable method handle {@code M2}.
 151  * This allows a more powerful negotiation of method type
 152  * between caller and callee.
 153  * <p>
 154  * (<em>Note:</em> The adjusted method handle {@code M2} is not directly observable,
 155  * and implementations are therefore not required to materialize it.)
 156  *
 157  * <h1>Invocation checking</h1>
 158  * In typical programs, method handle type matching will usually succeed.
 159  * But if a match fails, the JVM will throw a {@link WrongMethodTypeException},
 160  * either directly (in the case of {@code invokeExact}) or indirectly as if
 161  * by a failed call to {@code asType} (in the case of {@code invoke}).
 162  * <p>
 163  * Thus, a method type mismatch which might show up as a linkage error
 164  * in a statically typed program can show up as
 165  * a dynamic {@code WrongMethodTypeException}
 166  * in a program which uses method handles.
 167  * <p>
 168  * Because method types contain "live" {@code Class} objects,
 169  * method type matching takes into account both types names and class loaders.
 170  * Thus, even if a method handle {@code M} is created in one
 171  * class loader {@code L1} and used in another {@code L2},
 172  * method handle calls are type-safe, because the caller's symbolic type
 173  * descriptor, as resolved in {@code L2},
 174  * is matched against the original callee method's symbolic type descriptor,
 175  * as resolved in {@code L1}.
 176  * The resolution in {@code L1} happens when {@code M} is created
 177  * and its type is assigned, while the resolution in {@code L2} happens
 178  * when the {@code invokevirtual} instruction is linked.
 179  * <p>
 180  * Apart from the checking of type descriptors,
 181  * a method handle's capability to call its underlying method is unrestricted.
 182  * If a method handle is formed on a non-public method by a class
 183  * that has access to that method, the resulting handle can be used
 184  * in any place by any caller who receives a reference to it.
 185  * <p>
 186  * Unlike with the Core Reflection API, where access is checked every time
 187  * a reflective method is invoked,
 188  * method handle access checking is performed
 189  * <a href="MethodHandles.Lookup.html#access">when the method handle is created</a>.
 190  * In the case of {@code ldc} (see below), access checking is performed as part of linking
 191  * the constant pool entry underlying the constant method handle.
 192  * <p>
 193  * Thus, handles to non-public methods, or to methods in non-public classes,
 194  * should generally be kept secret.
 195  * They should not be passed to untrusted code unless their use from
 196  * the untrusted code would be harmless.
 197  *
 198  * <h1>Method handle creation</h1>
 199  * Java code can create a method handle that directly accesses
 200  * any method, constructor, or field that is accessible to that code.
 201  * This is done via a reflective, capability-based API called
 202  * {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup MethodHandles.Lookup}
 203  * For example, a static method handle can be obtained
 204  * from {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#findStatic Lookup.findStatic}.
 205  * There are also conversion methods from Core Reflection API objects,
 206  * such as {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect}.
 207  * <p>
 208  * Like classes and strings, method handles that correspond to accessible
 209  * fields, methods, and constructors can also be represented directly
 210  * in a class file's constant pool as constants to be loaded by {@code ldc} bytecodes.
 211  * A new type of constant pool entry, {@code CONSTANT_MethodHandle},
 212  * refers directly to an associated {@code CONSTANT_Methodref},
 213  * {@code CONSTANT_InterfaceMethodref}, or {@code CONSTANT_Fieldref}
 214  * constant pool entry.
 215  * (For full details on method handle constants,
 216  * see sections 4.4.8 and 5.4.3.5 of the Java Virtual Machine Specification.)
 217  * <p>
 218  * Method handles produced by lookups or constant loads from methods or


 232  * their corresponding bytecode instructions, and the {@code ldc} instruction
 233  * will throw corresponding linkage errors if the bytecode behaviors would
 234  * throw such errors.
 235  * <p>
 236  * As a corollary of this, access to protected members is restricted
 237  * to receivers only of the accessing class, or one of its subclasses,
 238  * and the accessing class must in turn be a subclass (or package sibling)
 239  * of the protected member's defining class.
 240  * If a method reference refers to a protected non-static method or field
 241  * of a class outside the current package, the receiver argument will
 242  * be narrowed to the type of the accessing class.
 243  * <p>
 244  * When a method handle to a virtual method is invoked, the method is
 245  * always looked up in the receiver (that is, the first argument).
 246  * <p>
 247  * A non-virtual method handle to a specific virtual method implementation
 248  * can also be created.  These do not perform virtual lookup based on
 249  * receiver type.  Such a method handle simulates the effect of
 250  * an {@code invokespecial} instruction to the same method.
 251  *
 252  * <h1>Usage examples</h1>
 253  * Here are some examples of usage:
 254  * <p><blockquote><pre>{@code
 255 Object x, y; String s; int i;
 256 MethodType mt; MethodHandle mh;
 257 MethodHandles.Lookup lookup = MethodHandles.lookup();
 258 // mt is (char,char)String
 259 mt = MethodType.methodType(String.class, char.class, char.class);
 260 mh = lookup.findVirtual(String.class, "replace", mt);
 261 s = (String) mh.invokeExact("daddy",'d','n');
 262 // invokeExact(Ljava/lang/String;CC)Ljava/lang/String;
 263 assertEquals(s, "nanny");
 264 // weakly typed invocation (using MHs.invoke)
 265 s = (String) mh.invokeWithArguments("sappy", 'p', 'v');
 266 assertEquals(s, "savvy");
 267 // mt is (Object[])List
 268 mt = MethodType.methodType(java.util.List.class, Object[].class);
 269 mh = lookup.findStatic(java.util.Arrays.class, "asList", mt);
 270 assert(mh.isVarargsCollector());
 271 x = mh.invoke("one", "two");
 272 // invoke(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/Object;


 278 // invokeExact(Ljava/lang/Object;Ljava/lang/Object;Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lang/Object;
 279 assertEquals(x, java.util.Arrays.asList(1,2,3));
 280 // mt is ()int
 281 mt = MethodType.methodType(int.class);
 282 mh = lookup.findVirtual(java.util.List.class, "size", mt);
 283 i = (int) mh.invokeExact(java.util.Arrays.asList(1,2,3));
 284 // invokeExact(Ljava/util/List;)I
 285 assert(i == 3);
 286 mt = MethodType.methodType(void.class, String.class);
 287 mh = lookup.findVirtual(java.io.PrintStream.class, "println", mt);
 288 mh.invokeExact(System.out, "Hello, world.");
 289 // invokeExact(Ljava/io/PrintStream;Ljava/lang/String;)V
 290  * }</pre></blockquote>
 291  * Each of the above calls to {@code invokeExact} or plain {@code invoke}
 292  * generates a single invokevirtual instruction with
 293  * the symbolic type descriptor indicated in the following comment.
 294  * In these examples, the helper method {@code assertEquals} is assumed to
 295  * be a method which calls {@link java.util.Objects#equals(Object,Object) Objects.equals }
 296  * on its arguments, and asserts that the result is true.
 297  *
 298  * <h1>Exceptions</h1>
 299  * The methods {@code invokeExact} and {@code invoke} are declared
 300  * to throw {@link java.lang.Throwable Throwable},
 301  * which is to say that there is no static restriction on what a method handle
 302  * can throw.  Since the JVM does not distinguish between checked
 303  * and unchecked exceptions (other than by their class, of course),
 304  * there is no particular effect on bytecode shape from ascribing
 305  * checked exceptions to method handle invocations.  But in Java source
 306  * code, methods which perform method handle calls must either explicitly
 307  * throw {@code Throwable}, or else must catch all
 308  * throwables locally, rethrowing only those which are legal in the context,
 309  * and wrapping ones which are illegal.
 310  *
 311  * <h1><a name="sigpoly"></a>Signature polymorphism</h1>
 312  * The unusual compilation and linkage behavior of
 313  * {@code invokeExact} and plain {@code invoke}
 314  * is referenced by the term <em>signature polymorphism</em>.
 315  * As defined in the Java Language Specification,
 316  * a signature polymorphic method is one which can operate with
 317  * any of a wide range of call signatures and return types.
 318  * <p>
 319  * In source code, a call to a signature polymorphic method will
 320  * compile, regardless of the requested symbolic type descriptor.
 321  * As usual, the Java compiler emits an {@code invokevirtual}
 322  * instruction with the given symbolic type descriptor against the named method.
 323  * The unusual part is that the symbolic type descriptor is derived from
 324  * the actual argument and return types, not from the method declaration.
 325  * <p>
 326  * When the JVM processes bytecode containing signature polymorphic calls,
 327  * it will successfully link any such call, regardless of its symbolic type descriptor.
 328  * (In order to retain type safety, the JVM will guard such calls with suitable
 329  * dynamic type checks, as described elsewhere.)
 330  * <p>
 331  * Bytecode generators, including the compiler back end, are required to emit
 332  * untransformed symbolic type descriptors for these methods.
 333  * Tools which determine symbolic linkage are required to accept such
 334  * untransformed descriptors, without reporting linkage errors.
 335  *
 336  * <h1>Interoperation between method handles and the Core Reflection API</h1>
 337  * Using factory methods in the {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup Lookup} API,
 338  * any class member represented by a Core Reflection API object
 339  * can be converted to a behaviorally equivalent method handle.
 340  * For example, a reflective {@link java.lang.reflect.Method Method} can
 341  * be converted to a method handle using
 342  * {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect}.
 343  * The resulting method handles generally provide more direct and efficient
 344  * access to the underlying class members.
 345  * <p>
 346  * As a special case,
 347  * when the Core Reflection API is used to view the signature polymorphic
 348  * methods {@code invokeExact} or plain {@code invoke} in this class,
 349  * they appear as ordinary non-polymorphic methods.
 350  * Their reflective appearance, as viewed by
 351  * {@link java.lang.Class#getDeclaredMethod Class.getDeclaredMethod},
 352  * is unaffected by their special status in this API.
 353  * For example, {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#getModifiers Method.getModifiers}
 354  * will report exactly those modifier bits required for any similarly
 355  * declared method, including in this case {@code native} and {@code varargs} bits.
 356  * <p>


 358  * invoked via {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#invoke java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke}.
 359  * However, such reflective calls do not result in method handle invocations.
 360  * Such a call, if passed the required argument
 361  * (a single one, of type {@code Object[]}), will ignore the argument and
 362  * will throw an {@code UnsupportedOperationException}.
 363  * <p>
 364  * Since {@code invokevirtual} instructions can natively
 365  * invoke method handles under any symbolic type descriptor, this reflective view conflicts
 366  * with the normal presentation of these methods via bytecodes.
 367  * Thus, these two native methods, when reflectively viewed by
 368  * {@code Class.getDeclaredMethod}, may be regarded as placeholders only.
 369  * <p>
 370  * In order to obtain an invoker method for a particular type descriptor,
 371  * use {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#exactInvoker MethodHandles.exactInvoker},
 372  * or {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles#invoker MethodHandles.invoker}.
 373  * The {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#findVirtual Lookup.findVirtual}
 374  * API is also able to return a method handle
 375  * to call {@code invokeExact} or plain {@code invoke},
 376  * for any specified type descriptor .
 377  *
 378  * <h1>Interoperation between method handles and Java generics</h1>
 379  * A method handle can be obtained on a method, constructor, or field
 380  * which is declared with Java generic types.
 381  * As with the Core Reflection API, the type of the method handle
 382  * will constructed from the erasure of the source-level type.
 383  * When a method handle is invoked, the types of its arguments
 384  * or the return value cast type may be generic types or type instances.
 385  * If this occurs, the compiler will replace those
 386  * types by their erasures when it constructs the symbolic type descriptor
 387  * for the {@code invokevirtual} instruction.
 388  * <p>
 389  * Method handles do not represent
 390  * their function-like types in terms of Java parameterized (generic) types,
 391  * because there are three mismatches between function-like types and parameterized
 392  * Java types.
 393  * <ul>
 394  * <li>Method types range over all possible arities,
 395  * from no arguments to up to 255 of arguments (a limit imposed by the JVM).
 396  * Generics are not variadic, and so cannot represent this.</li>
 397  * <li>Method types can specify arguments of primitive types,
 398  * which Java generic types cannot range over.</li>


 440         type.getClass();  // explicit NPE
 441         form.getClass();  // explicit NPE
 442         this.type = type;
 443         this.form = form;
 444 
 445         form.prepare();  // TO DO:  Try to delay this step until just before invocation.
 446     }
 447 
 448     /**
 449      * Invokes the method handle, allowing any caller type descriptor, but requiring an exact type match.
 450      * The symbolic type descriptor at the call site of {@code invokeExact} must
 451      * exactly match this method handle's {@link #type type}.
 452      * No conversions are allowed on arguments or return values.
 453      * <p>
 454      * When this method is observed via the Core Reflection API,
 455      * it will appear as a single native method, taking an object array and returning an object.
 456      * If this native method is invoked directly via
 457      * {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#invoke java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke}, via JNI,
 458      * or indirectly via {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect},
 459      * it will throw an {@code UnsupportedOperationException}.
 460      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 461      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 462      * @throws WrongMethodTypeException if the target's type is not identical with the caller's symbolic type descriptor
 463      * @throws Throwable anything thrown by the underlying method propagates unchanged through the method handle call
 464      */
 465     public final native @PolymorphicSignature Object invokeExact(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 466 
 467     /**
 468      * Invokes the method handle, allowing any caller type descriptor,
 469      * and optionally performing conversions on arguments and return values.
 470      * <p>
 471      * If the call site's symbolic type descriptor exactly matches this method handle's {@link #type type},
 472      * the call proceeds as if by {@link #invokeExact invokeExact}.
 473      * <p>
 474      * Otherwise, the call proceeds as if this method handle were first
 475      * adjusted by calling {@link #asType asType} to adjust this method handle
 476      * to the required type, and then the call proceeds as if by
 477      * {@link #invokeExact invokeExact} on the adjusted method handle.
 478      * <p>
 479      * There is no guarantee that the {@code asType} call is actually made.
 480      * If the JVM can predict the results of making the call, it may perform
 481      * adaptations directly on the caller's arguments,
 482      * and call the target method handle according to its own exact type.
 483      * <p>
 484      * The resolved type descriptor at the call site of {@code invoke} must
 485      * be a valid argument to the receivers {@code asType} method.
 486      * In particular, the caller must specify the same argument arity
 487      * as the callee's type,
 488      * if the callee is not a {@linkplain #asVarargsCollector variable arity collector}.
 489      * <p>
 490      * When this method is observed via the Core Reflection API,
 491      * it will appear as a single native method, taking an object array and returning an object.
 492      * If this native method is invoked directly via
 493      * {@link java.lang.reflect.Method#invoke java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke}, via JNI,
 494      * or indirectly via {@link java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.Lookup#unreflect Lookup.unreflect},
 495      * it will throw an {@code UnsupportedOperationException}.
 496      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 497      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 498      * @throws WrongMethodTypeException if the target's type cannot be adjusted to the caller's symbolic type descriptor
 499      * @throws ClassCastException if the target's type can be adjusted to the caller, but a reference cast fails
 500      * @throws Throwable anything thrown by the underlying method propagates unchanged through the method handle call
 501      */
 502     public final native @PolymorphicSignature Object invoke(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 503 
 504     /**
 505      * Private method for trusted invocation of a method handle respecting simplified signatures.
 506      * Type mismatches will not throw {@code WrongMethodTypeException}, but could crash the JVM.
 507      * <p>
 508      * The caller signature is restricted to the following basic types:
 509      * Object, int, long, float, double, and void return.
 510      * <p>
 511      * The caller is responsible for maintaining type correctness by ensuring
 512      * that the each outgoing argument value is a member of the range of the corresponding
 513      * callee argument type.
 514      * (The caller should therefore issue appropriate casts and integer narrowing
 515      * operations on outgoing argument values.)
 516      * The caller can assume that the incoming result value is part of the range
 517      * of the callee's return type.
 518      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 519      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 520      */
 521     /*non-public*/ final native @PolymorphicSignature Object invokeBasic(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 522 
 523     /**
 524      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeVirtual}.
 525      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 526      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.
 527      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 528      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 529      */
 530     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToVirtual(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 531 
 532     /**
 533      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeStatic}.
 534      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 535      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.
 536      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 537      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 538      */
 539     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToStatic(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 540 
 541     /**
 542      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeSpecial}.
 543      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 544      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.
 545      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 546      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 547      */
 548     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToSpecial(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 549 
 550     /**
 551      * Private method for trusted invocation of a MemberName of kind {@code REF_invokeInterface}.
 552      * The caller signature is restricted to basic types as with {@code invokeBasic}.
 553      * The trailing (not leading) argument must be a MemberName.
 554      * @param args the signature-polymorphic parameter list, statically represented using varargs
 555      * @return the signature-polymorphic result, statically represented using {@code Object}
 556      */
 557     /*non-public*/ static native @PolymorphicSignature Object linkToInterface(Object... args) throws Throwable;
 558 
 559     /**
 560      * Performs a variable arity invocation, passing the arguments in the given array
 561      * to the method handle, as if via an inexact {@link #invoke invoke} from a call site
 562      * which mentions only the type {@code Object}, and whose arity is the length
 563      * of the argument array.
 564      * <p>
 565      * Specifically, execution proceeds as if by the following steps,
 566      * although the methods are not guaranteed to be called if the JVM
 567      * can predict their effects.
 568      * <ul>
 569      * <li>Determine the length of the argument array as {@code N}.
 570      *     For a null reference, {@code N=0}. </li>
 571      * <li>Determine the general type {@code TN} of {@code N} arguments as
 572      *     as {@code TN=MethodType.genericMethodType(N)}.</li>
 573      * <li>Force the original target method handle {@code MH0} to the
 574      *     required type, as {@code MH1 = MH0.asType(TN)}. </li>
 575      * <li>Spread the array into {@code N} separate arguments {@code A0, ...}. </li>