Rethrow method internal exceptions

[lars-sh]

Expected behavior and actual behavior:

When calling a constructor or method, which is throwing an Exception, I'd expect that exception to be thrown as is - that's at least what I expect from a fluent API.

Steps to reproduce the problem:

// Currently throws a ReflectionException
// though (at least) I would expect it to throw a NullPointerException
Reflect.on(Example.class).create();

static class Example {
    Example() {
        throw new NullPointerException("Just an example!");
    }
}

Suggested change

Handling the InvocationTargetException and rethrowing its cause at below positions should handle things as described.

} catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
            throw (RuntimeException) e.getCause();

• https://github.com/jOOQ/jOOR/blob/master/jOOR/src/main/java/org/joor/Reflect.java#L760
• https://github.com/jOOQ/jOOR/blob/master/jOOR/src/main/java/org/joor/Reflect.java#L780

Versions:

• jOOR: 0.9.9
• Java: Oracle JDK 10.0.1

[lukaseder]

There are many ways we could do this. The status quo will always wrap an exception in a ReflectException. Your option could work just as well, but I don't see a compelling enough advantage right now to change the behaviour incompatibly.

[lars-sh]

Sure, compatibility is a point. I just wonder what developers might expect from the API.

At least for me it's the expectation, that Reflect.on(Example.class).create().get() works mostly the same way new Example() does - except, that reflection is used to achieve things. ReflectException is what I expect once there's a problem with reflection stuff.

[lukaseder]

@lars-sh I would expect a third party reflection API to work like the JDK reflection API, i.e. to throw their own exceptions. Look at your sample code. You didn't catch the NPE, but a InvocationTargetException.

Again, there are many ways to do things. I don't really disagree with your approach, but the ship has sailed for jOOR, unless there are very compelling reasons to change the current behaviour.