The Java Language Specification, Third Edition

15.12.2 Compile-Time Step 2: Determine Method Signature EXPRESSIONS
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15.12.2.6 Method Result and Throws Types
• The result type of the chosen method is determined as follows:
◆ If the method being invoked is declared with a return type of void, then the
result is void.
◆ Otherwise, if unchecked conversion was necessary for the method to be
applicable then the result type is the erasure (§4.6) of the method’s declared
return type.
◆ Otherwise, if the method being invoked is generic, then for 1 ≤i≤n, let Fi be the formal type parameters of the method, let Ai be the actual type arguments
inferred for the method invocation, and let R be the declared return
type of the method being invoked. The result type is obtained by applying
capture conversion (§5.1.10) to R[F1 := A1, ..., Fn := An]. ◆ Otherwise, the result type is obtained by applying capture conversion
(§5.1.10) to the type given in the method declaration.
The exception types of the throws clause of the chosen method are determined as
follows:
• If unchecked conversion was necessary for the method to be applicable then
the throws clause is composed of the erasure (§4.6) of the types in the
method’s declared throws clause.
• Otherwise, if the method being invoked is generic, then for 1 ≤i≤n, let Fi be
the formal type parameters of the method, let Ai be the actual type arguments
inferred for the method invocation, and let Ej, 1 ≤ j ≤m
be the exception
types declared in the throws clause of the method being invoked. The throws
clause consists of the types to Ej[F1 := A1, ..., Fn := An]. DRAFT
• Otherwise, the type of the throws clause is the type given in the method declaration.
A method invocation expression can throw an exception type E iff either:
• The method to be invoked is of the form Primary.Identifier and the Primary
expression can throw E; or
• Some expression of the argument list can throw E; or
• E is listed in the throws clause of the type of method that is invoked.