[BCEL-76] Add parent type processing for ClassPath class.

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 6.0
• Component/s: Main
• External issue URL: https://issues.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=38426
• External issue ID: 38426
• Assignee: Apache Commons Developers
• Reporter: Claudio Corsi
• Created: 27/Jan/06 20:40
• Updated: 14/Jul/16 12:48
• Resolved: 10/Jan/10 12:06

Description

We have developed an application that byte-code enhances classes using BCEL. The application allows for users to pass additional classpath entries on top of the current system class path settings. When we use the ClassPath instance to create a SyntheticRepository instance. We are unable to include a parent type ClassPath. It is possible that some of the classes are referenced by the system class path. While others are only contained within the passed classpath. To get around this issue. We would have to prepend or append the setting of the java.class.path properties. This can be troublesome since we do not know if the system classpath should be prepended or appended. The other issue is that this can be used within a running application and users might enhance classes not contained within the system class path before using them. These classes can not be loaded by the system ClassLoader. If they are then the byte-code enhanced class can not be used.

I have a fix that extends the ClassPath class to include the concept of a parent ClassPath. The parent instance is used exactly like the parent concept for a class loader.