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package javax.lang.model.element;

import javax.lang.model.util.Elements;
import javax.lang.model.type.TypeMirror;
import javax.lang.model.type.TypeKind;

Represents a field, enum constant, method or constructor parameter, local variable, resource variable, or exception parameter. 
Author:
Joseph D. Darcy, Scott Seligman, Peter von der Ahé
Since:
1.6/**
 * Represents a field, {@code enum} constant, method or constructor
 * parameter, local variable, resource variable, or exception
 * parameter.
 *
 * @author Joseph D. Darcy
 * @author Scott Seligman
 * @author Peter von der Ahé
 * @since 1.6
 */
public interface VariableElement extends Element {
    
Returns the type of this variable. Note that the types of variables range over many kinds of types, including primitive types, declared types, and array types, among others. 
See Also:
TypeKind
Returns:
the type of this variable/**
     * Returns the type of this variable.
     *
     * Note that the types of variables range over {@linkplain
     * TypeKind many kinds} of types, including primitive types,
     * declared types, and array types, among others.
     *
     * @return the type of this variable
     *
     * @see TypeKind
     */
    @Override
    TypeMirror asType();

    
Returns the value of this variable if this is a final field initialized to a compile-time constant. Returns 
null otherwise. The value will be of a primitive type or a String. If the value is of a primitive type, it is wrapped in the appropriate wrapper class (such as Integer). 
Note that not all final fields will have constant values. In particular, enum constants are not considered to be compile-time constants. To have a constant value, a field's type must be either a primitive type or String. 
See Also:
Elements.getConstantExpression(Object)
Returns:
the value of this variable if this is a final field initialized to a compile-time constant, or null otherwise
@jls
15.28 Constant Expression
@jls
4.12.4 final Variables/**
     * Returns the value of this variable if this is a {@code final}
     * field initialized to a compile-time constant.  Returns {@code
     * null} otherwise.  The value will be of a primitive type or a
     * {@code String}.  If the value is of a primitive type, it is
     * wrapped in the appropriate wrapper class (such as {@link
     * Integer}).
     *
     * <p>Note that not all {@code final} fields will have
     * constant values.  In particular, {@code enum} constants are
     * <em>not</em> considered to be compile-time constants.  To have a
     * constant value, a field's type must be either a primitive type
     * or {@code String}.
     *
     * @return the value of this variable if this is a {@code final}
     * field initialized to a compile-time constant, or {@code null}
     * otherwise
     *
     * @see Elements#getConstantExpression(Object)
     * @jls 15.28 Constant Expression
     * @jls 4.12.4 final Variables
     */
    Object getConstantValue();

    
Returns the simple name of this variable element.
For method and constructor parameters, the name of each
parameter must be distinct from the names of all other
parameters of the same executable.  If the original source
names are not available, an implementation may synthesize names
subject to the distinctness requirement above.
Returns:
the simple name of this variable element/**
     * Returns the simple name of this variable element.
     *
     * <p>For method and constructor parameters, the name of each
     * parameter must be distinct from the names of all other
     * parameters of the same executable.  If the original source
     * names are not available, an implementation may synthesize names
     * subject to the distinctness requirement above.
     *
     * @return the simple name of this variable element
     */
    @Override
    Name getSimpleName();

    
Returns the enclosing element of this variable.
The enclosing element of a method or constructor parameter is
the executable declaring the parameter.
Returns:
the enclosing element of this variable/**
     * Returns the enclosing element of this variable.
     *
     * The enclosing element of a method or constructor parameter is
     * the executable declaring the parameter.
     *
     * @return the enclosing element of this variable
     */
    @Override
    Element getEnclosingElement();
}