[NETBEANS-5757] Compile-on-Save drops static initializer (vanilla javac)

• Type: Bug
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 12.4
• Fix Version/s: Next
• Component/s: java - Compiler

Environment

NetBeans 12.4 without nb-javac installed (started from clean user and cache directories to ensure no trace of nb-javac was left from my old installation). Java 11.0.11 or Java 17-ea+25. Windows 10.

• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Eirik Bakke
• Created: 06/Jun/21 19:51
• Updated: 25/Sep/21 18:30
• Resolved: 25/Jul/21 16:50

Description

Very great to see Compile-on-Save now working without the external nb-javac plugin! Here's the first bug I've found around this. To reproduce, create an empty maven-based Java project and add the following class:

public class StaticInitializerExample {
  private static final String SOME_CONSTANT;
  static {
    SOME_CONSTANT = "I am a constant.";
  }

  public static final void main(String args[]) {
    System.out.println(SOME_CONSTANT);
  }
}

Do a clean build and run. The application will print, "I am a constant."

Now do any trivial change to the code, such as adding a comment, and save. Run again. The application will now print "null", rather than the correct output.

Tested on both Java 11.0.11 and Java 17-ea+25. I also tested with NetBeans 11.3 with nb-javac installed; in that case the output is correct (still "I am a constant."). In the latter case you can also change the constant in the static initializer, and CoS will apply the change correctly.

Issue Links

• fixes: NETBEANS-6062 Static block not executed in Java Ant project
• is duplicated by: NETBEANS-5832 Static block not compiled