aggregate initialization

[Joseph Sweet]

What is aggregate initialization of array? I have tried to search the web for this but could not really figure out what this term refers to.

All objects of non-primitive types can be created only via new. There�s no equivalent to creating non-primitive objects "on the stack" as in C++. All primitive types can be created only on the stack, without new. There are wrapper classes for all primitive classes so that you can create equivalent heap-based objects via new. (Arrays of primitives are a special case: they can be allocated via aggregate initialization as in C++, or by using new.)

Thanks.

[Christophe Verré]

int[] array = {1,2,3} ?

[Joseph Sweet]

I don't know. I guessed that's what it means.
Is array on the heap?
Are those three int's on the stack now?

How do you create this array by new?

Thanks.

[Peter Chase]

It's just a convenient short-hand. Nothing magic happens. It's basically the same as new-ing an array, then filling in the entries.

Maybe the "aggregate initialisation" version generates more efficient byte-code; I dunno and won't be trying it myself. Anyone want to compare the byte-code?

[Joseph Sweet]

So is this array of int's on the heap?

[Remko Strating]

Yes, it's an array on the heap

  
int[] array = {1,2,3} 

Declares an int array reference variable with name array
Creates an int array with a length of three elements
populates the array's elements with value 1,2,3
Assigns the array object to the variable array

The array object will be created on the heap.

[Joseph Sweet]

Thank you.

Are reference variables located on the stack? I mean the reference itself (~the pointer), not the address where it points to, which is in the heap.