[DERBY-6120] Clarify that $ is the separator character which should be used for the external names of static nested classes

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 10.10.1.1
• Fix Version/s: 10.10.2.0, 10.11.1.1
• Component/s: Documentation
• Assignee: Camilla Haase
• Reporter: Richard N. Hillegas
• Created: 21/Mar/13 18:17
• Updated: 16/Apr/14 02:41
• Resolved: 10/Oct/13 19:29

Description

Various user-defined objects can be created which are bound to Java methods or classes via "external name" clauses. It's easy to mis-phrase the Java class name in the "external name" clause if the class is a static nested class. The affected objects include:

o Functions
o Procedures
o Types
o Aggregates

Consider the following class:

public class TestFuncs
{
public static final class Foo
{
public static double pow( double base, double power )

{ return Math.pow( base, power ); }

}
}

If the pow method is bound to a user-defined function via a CREATE FUNCTION command, its external name should be TestFuncs$Foo.pow, NOT TestFuncs.Foo.pow.

We should add a section to the Reference Manual clarifying how to phrase the external name if it includes a reference to a static nested class. The detailed sections for the various user-defined objects can then refer to this new section.