The Java Language Specification, Third Edition

CLASSES Constructor Body 8.8.7
• E is declared in the throws clause of the constructor that is invoked.
If an anonymous class instance creation expression appears within an explicit
constructor invocation statement, then the anonymous class may not refer to any
of the enclosing instances of the class whose constructor is being invoked.
For example:
class Top {
int x;
class Dummy {
Dummy(Object o) {}
}
class Inside extends Dummy {
Inside() {
super(new Object() { int r = x; }); // error
}
Inside(final int y) {
super(new Object() { int r = y; }); // correct
}
}
}
Let C be the class being instantiated, let S be the direct superclass of C, and let i be
the instance being created. The evaluation of an explicit constructor invocation
proceeds as follows:
• First, if the constructor invocation statement is a superclass constructor invocation,
then the immediately enclosing instance of i with respect to S (if any)
must be determined. Whether or not i has an immediately enclosing instance
with respect to S is determined by the superclass constructor invocation as follows:
DRAFT
◆ If S is not an inner class, or if the declaration of S occurs in a static context,
no immediately enclosing instance of i with respect to S exists. A compiletime
error occurs if the superclass constructor invocation is a qualified
superclass constructor invocation.
◆ Otherwise:
❖ If the superclass constructor invocation is qualified, then the Primary
expression p immediately preceding ".super" is evaluated. If the primary
expression evaluates to null, aNullPointerException is raised, and
the superclass constructor invocation completes abruptly. Otherwise, the
result of this evaluation is the immediately enclosing instance of i with
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