41  *
  42  * @author Robert Field
  43  * @author Gordon Hirsch
  44  * @author James McIlree
  45  * @since  1.3
  46  */
  47 public interface TypeComponent extends Mirror, Accessible {
  48 
  49     /**
  50      * Gets the name of this type component.
  51      * <P>
  52      * Note: for fields, this is the field name; for methods,
  53      * this is the method name; for constructors, this is &lt;init&gt;;
  54      * for static initializers, this is &lt;clinit&gt;.
  55      *
  56      * @return a string containing the name.
  57      */
  58     String name();
  59 
  60     /**
  61      * Gets the JNI-style signature for this type component. The

  62      * signature is encoded type information as defined
  63      * in the JNI documentation. It is a convenient, compact format for
  64      * for manipulating type information internally, not necessarily
  65      * for display to an end user. See {@link Field#typeName} and
  66      * {@link Method#returnTypeName} for ways to help get a more readable
  67      * representation of the type.
  68      *
  69      * @see <a href="doc-files/signature.html">Type Signatures</a>
  70      * @return a string containing the signature
  71      */
  72     String signature();
  73 
  74     /**
  75      * Gets the generic signature for this TypeComponent if there is one.
  76      * Generic signatures are described in the
  77      * <cite>The Java&trade; Virtual Machine Specification</cite>.
  78      *
  79      * @return a string containing the generic signature, or <code>null</code>
  80      * if there is no generic signature.
  81      *
  82      * @since 1.5
  83      */
  84     String genericSignature();
  85 
  86     /**
  87      * Returns the type in which this component was declared. The
  88      * returned {@link ReferenceType} mirrors either a class or an
  89      * interface in the target VM.

  41  *
  42  * @author Robert Field
  43  * @author Gordon Hirsch
  44  * @author James McIlree
  45  * @since  1.3
  46  */
  47 public interface TypeComponent extends Mirror, Accessible {
  48 
  49     /**
  50      * Gets the name of this type component.
  51      * <P>
  52      * Note: for fields, this is the field name; for methods,
  53      * this is the method name; for constructors, this is &lt;init&gt;;
  54      * for static initializers, this is &lt;clinit&gt;.
  55      *
  56      * @return a string containing the name.
  57      */
  58     String name();
  59 
  60     /**
  61      * Gets the <a href="{@docRoot}/../specs/jni/types.html#type-signatures">
  62      * JNI-style signature</a> for this type component. The
  63      * signature is encoded type information as defined
  64      * in the JNI documentation. It is a convenient, compact format for
  65      * for manipulating type information internally, not necessarily
  66      * for display to an end user. See {@link Field#typeName} and
  67      * {@link Method#returnTypeName} for ways to help get a more readable
  68      * representation of the type.
  69      *

  70      * @return a string containing the signature
  71      */
  72     String signature();
  73 
  74     /**
  75      * Gets the generic signature for this TypeComponent if there is one.
  76      * Generic signatures are described in the
  77      * <cite>The Java&trade; Virtual Machine Specification</cite>.
  78      *
  79      * @return a string containing the generic signature, or <code>null</code>
  80      * if there is no generic signature.
  81      *
  82      * @since 1.5
  83      */
  84     String genericSignature();
  85 
  86     /**
  87      * Returns the type in which this component was declared. The
  88      * returned {@link ReferenceType} mirrors either a class or an
  89      * interface in the target VM.