ASTCreator cannot handle lists of strings

[peterwvj]

Given the tree specification below:

Packages
base demo.ast;
analysis demo.analysis;

Tokens

java_String = 'java:java.lang.String';

Abstract Syntax Tree

Top {-> package='demo.ast.nodes'}
  = {test} [field]:java_String*
  ;

Aspect Declaration

The code produced by ASTCreator does not compile since there seems to be a problem with the way that the tool handles lists of strings. The compilation errors are:

[ERROR] /home/peter/dev/playground/string-bug/target/generated-sources/astCreator/demo/ast/nodes/ATestTop.java:[114,25] no suitable method found for cloneListExternal(java.util.List<capture#1 of ? extends java.lang.String>)
    method demo.ast.Node.<T>cloneListExternal(java.util.List<T>,java.util.Map<demo.ast.INode,demo.ast.INode>) is not applicable
      (cannot instantiate from arguments because actual and formal argument lists differ in length)
    method demo.ast.Node.<T>cloneListExternal(java.util.List<T>) is not applicable
      (inferred type does not conform to declared bound(s)
        inferred: capture#1 of ? extends java.lang.String
        bound(s): demo.ast.ExternalNode)
[ERROR] /home/peter/dev/playground/string-bug/target/generated-sources/astCreator/demo/ast/nodes/ATestTop.java:[146,25] no suitable method found for cloneListExternal(java.util.List<capture#2 of ? extends java.lang.String>,java.util.Map<demo.ast.INode,demo.ast.INode>)
    method demo.ast.Node.<T>cloneListExternal(java.util.List<T>,java.util.Map<demo.ast.INode,demo.ast.INode>) is not applicable
      (inferred type does not conform to declared bound(s)
        inferred: capture#2 of ? extends java.lang.String
        bound(s): demo.ast.ExternalNode)
    method demo.ast.Node.<T>cloneListExternal(java.util.List<T>) is not applicable
      (cannot instantiate from arguments because actual and formal argument lists differ in length)

[peterwvj]

One workaround for this is to use an externally defined class to wrap the strings. In Overture this is done using the org.overture.ast.node.ExternalNode.ClonableString class.

[lausdahl]

This is actually by design. So what should we do:

• Add a check saying that only object extending ExternalNode and specified as java_String = 'java:node:java.lang.String'; can be used for lists of any kind.
• Add yet another type of list which can handle basic java types which do not need cloning since they are by value.