getfield

Operation

Fetch field from object

Format

getfield
indexbyte1
indexbyte2

Forms

getfield = 180 (0xb4)

Operand Stack

..., objectref ..., value

Description

The objectref, which must be of type reference, is popped from the operand stack. The unsigned indexbyte1 and indexbyte2 are used to construct an index into the runtime constant pool of the current class (§3.6), where the value of the index is (indexbyte1 << 8) | indexbyte2. The runtime constant pool item at that index must be a symbolic reference to a field (§5.1), which gives the name and descriptor of the field as well as a symbolic reference to the class in which the field is to be found. The referenced field is resolved (§5.4.3.2). The value of the referenced field in objectref is fetched and pushed onto the operand stack.

The class of objectref must not be an array. If the field is protected (§4.6), and it is either a member of the current class or a member of a superclass of the current class, then the class of objectref must be either the current class or a subclass of the current class.

Linking Exceptions

During resolution of the symbolic reference to the field, any of the errors pertaining to field resolution documented in Section 5.4.3.2 can be thrown.

Otherwise, if the resolved field is a static field, getfield throws an IncompatibleClassChangeError.

Runtime Exception

Otherwise, if objectref is null, the getfield instruction throws a NullPointerException.

Notes

The getfield instruction cannot be used to access the length field of an array. The arraylength instruction is used instead.

getstatic

Operation

Get static field from class

Format

getstatic
indexbyte1
indexbyte2

Forms

getstatic = 178 (0xb2)

Operand Stack

..., ..., value

Description

The unsigned indexbyte1 and indexbyte2 are used to construct an index into the runtime constant pool of the current class (§3.6), where the value of the index is (indexbyte1 << 8) | indexbyte2. The runtime constant pool item at that index must be a symbolic reference to a field (§5.1), which gives the name and descriptor of the field as well as a symbolic reference to the class or interface in which the field is to be found. The referenced field is resolved (§5.4.3.2).

On successful resolution of the field, the class or interface that declared the resolved field is initialized (§5.5) if that class or interface has not already been initialized.

The value of the class or interface field is fetched and pushed onto the operand stack.

Linking Exceptions

During resolution of the symbolic reference to the class or interface field, any of the exceptions pertaining to field resolution documented in Section 5.4.3.2 can be thrown.

Otherwise, if the resolved field is not a static (class) field or an interface field, getstatic throws an IncompatibleClassChangeError.

Runtime Exception

Otherwise, if execution of this getstatic instruction causes initialization of the referenced class or interface, getstatic may throw an Error as detailed in Section 2.17.5.

goto

Operation

Branch always

Format

goto
branchbyte1
branchbyte2

Forms

goto = 167 (0xa7)

Operand Stack

No change

Description

The unsigned bytes branchbyte1 and branchbyte2 are used to construct a signed 16-bit branchoffset, where branchoffset is (branchbyte1 << 8) | branchbyte2. Execution proceeds at that offset from the address of the opcode of this goto instruction. The target address must be that of an opcode of an instruction within the method that contains this goto instruction.

goto_w

Operation

Branch always (wide index)

Format

goto_w
branchbyte1
branchbyte2
branchbyte3
branchbyte4

Forms

goto_w = 200 (0xc8)

Operand Stack

No change

Description

The unsigned bytes branchbyte1, branchbyte2, branchbyte3, and branchbyte4 are used to construct a signed 32-bit branchoffset, where branchoffset is (branchbyte1 << 24) | (branchbyte2 << 16) | (branchbyte3 << 8) | branchbyte4. Execution proceeds at that offset from the address of the opcode of this goto_w instruction. The target address must be that of an opcode of an instruction within the method that contains this goto_w instruction.

Notes

Although the goto_w instruction takes a 4-byte branch offset, other factors limit the size of a method to 65535 bytes (§4.10). This limit may be raised in a future release of the Java virtual machine.

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The Java^TM Virtual Machine Specification
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