The Java Language Specification, Third Edition

15.12.4 Runtime Evaluation of Method Invocation EXPRESSIONS
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◆ If the MethodName is a qualified name of the form TypeName . Identifier,
then there is no target reference.
◆ If the MethodName is a qualified name of the form FieldName . Identifier,
then there are two subcases:
❖ If the invocation mode is static, then there is no target reference. The
expression FieldName is evaluated, but the result is then discarded.
❖ Otherwise, the target reference is the value of the expression FieldName.
• If the second production for MethodInvocation, which includes a Primary, is
involved, then there are two subcases:
◆ If the invocation mode is static, then there is no target reference. The
expression Primary is evaluated, but the result is then discarded.
◆ Otherwise, the expression Primary is evaluated and the result is used as the
target reference.
In either case, if the evaluation of the Primary expression completes abruptly,
then no part of any argument expression appears to have been evaluated, and
the method invocation completes abruptly for the same reason.
• If the third production for MethodInvocation, which includes the keyword
super, is involved, then the target reference is the value of this.
• If the fourth production for MethodInvocation, ClassName.super, is involved,
then the target reference is the value of ClassName.this.
• If the fifth production for MethodInvocation, beginning with
TypeName.NonWildTypeArguments, is involved, then there is no target reference.
DRAFT
15.12.4.2 Evaluate Arguments
The process of evaluating of the argument list differs, depending on whether
the method being invoked is a fixed arity method or a variable arity method
(§8.4.1).
If the method being invoked is a variable arity method (§8.4.1) m, it necessarily
has n > 0 formal parameters. The final formal parameter of m necessarily has
type T[] for some T, and m is necessarily being invoked with k ≥ 0 actual argument
expressions.
If m is being invoked with k ≠ n actual argument expressions, or, if m is being
invoked with k =
n actual argument expressions and the type of the kth argument