[GROOVY-460] improper parsing behavior or error message

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 1.0-JSR-1
• Environment: mac os x 10.3.3, java 1.4.2
• Assignee: Jochen Theodorou
• Reporter: John Stump
• Created: 11/May/04 10:19
• Updated: 23/Dec/07 12:25
• Resolved: 22/Mar/05 07:57

Description

This bug had me scratching my head for a looong time. Here is a sample class that this happens:

Class Bug5 {
static void main(args)

{ println "hello" }

}

The error I get is:

Caught: Bug5.groovy: 2: could not use 'static' at 2:5

Bug5.groovy: 2: could not use 'static' at 2:5

Bug5.groovy: 5: could not use '}' at 5:1

at org.codehaus.groovy.control.ProcessingUnit.fail(ProcessingUnit.java:466)
at org.codehaus.groovy.control.CompilationUnit.applyToSourceUnits(CompilationUnit.java:877)
at org.codehaus.groovy.control.CompilationUnit.parse(CompilationUnit.java:508)
at org.codehaus.groovy.control.CompilationUnit.compile(CompilationUnit.java:470)
at groovy.lang.GroovyClassLoader.parseClass(GroovyClassLoader.java:228)
at groovy.lang.GroovyClassLoader.parseClass(GroovyClassLoader.java:154)
at groovy.lang.GroovyShell$2.run(GroovyShell.java:207)
(etc)

For the sharp-eyed people, you will notice that instead of "class" I errantly did "Class". So I guess the parser is trying to declare a variable named Bug5 of type Class, but I don't understand why it allows the chunk of code in the braces. I thought valid variable declarations looked like this:

[<type>] <name> [= <value>]

Anyway, if this is valid syntax, may I request that the error message be a little more descriptive, like "static is not allowed in a field initialization block" or something like that? That would have at least clued me into that the parser thinks he's doing something different than what I was intending to do, and make my debugging a little quicker.

Thanks!