Annotation String parameter value not transformed

[jfdenise]

For example:
@MessageDriven(name = "TestEnvEntryMD", activationConfig = {
@ActivationConfigProperty(propertyName = "destinationType", propertyValue = "javax.jms.Queue"),
@ActivationConfigProperty(propertyName = "destination", propertyValue = "java:jboss/queue/testEnvEntry") })
public class TestEnvEntryMDBean implements MessageListener {
}

"javax.jms.Queue" is of type String and https://github.com/eclipse/transformer/blob/master/org.eclipse.transformer/src/main/java/org/eclipse/transformer/action/impl/ClassActionImpl.java#L983
doesn't handle String type. Direct String replacement should occur.

[dblevins]

Wanted to add a "we're seeing this too" for any benefit that may have. Here are a few examples we're seeing in our transformation attempts. (fyi: We're using ASM's asmify to audit the results)

• https://github.com/dblevins/tomee-analysis/blob/master/apache-tomee-microprofile-8.0.3-SNAPSHOT.zip/apache-tomee-microprofile-8.0.3-SNAPSHOT/lib/openjpa-3.1.0.jar/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/meta/AnnotationProcessor6-asmified.java#L32
• https://github.com/dblevins/tomee-analysis/blob/master/apache-tomee-microprofile-8.0.3-SNAPSHOT.zip/apache-tomee-microprofile-8.0.3-SNAPSHOT/lib/javaee-api-8.0-4.jar/jakarta/validation/constraints/PositiveOrZero-asmified.java#L69
• https://github.com/dblevins/tomee-analysis/blob/master/apache-tomee-microprofile-8.0.3-SNAPSHOT.zip/apache-tomee-microprofile-8.0.3-SNAPSHOT/lib/javaee-api-8.0-4.jar/jakarta/xml/ws/RespectBinding-asmified.java#L49

The last one is an example that couldn't be configuration-sensitive. javax.xml.ws.RespectBinding has a reference in annotation to javax.xml.ws.RespectBindingFeature, so if javax.xml.ws.RespectBinding is translated, the reference in annotation to javax.xml.ws.RespectBindingFeature should be transformed despite any potential configuration issues.

The middle one is going to affect Bean Validation which also references class patterns in string form on annotations.

[bjhargrave]

This needs a different type of transformation on String constants in the class file. The class file transformation will transform class name reference which are known to be be class name references (e.g. Class constants). But String constants can be anything and unrelated to class names.

So we may need some additional transformation rules which can indicate which String constants also need transformation. This is unfortunately very hard since strings can be anything while class names can only be class names. I have encountered String constants which are regex expressions for javax things that would also need transformation. (sigh)

[bjhargrave]

Also, is this not the same issue as #44? That is, the need to transform selected String constants in the class file's constant pool.

[jfdenise]

@bjhargrave , yes, the String transformation is very tricky and direct mapping seems not enough. For example we have some cases where sub part of the string needs transformation. For example in the jsp compiler all javax.servlet String should be replaced.
We have this String constant: (final javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest request, final javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse response) for which direct mapping of javax.servlet ==> jakarta.servlet is not enough. A String.replace("javax.servlet", "jakarta.servlet") is required.

This is perhaps a pathological case for which the EE9 compiler should be used instead of the EE8 one being transformed.

The direct mapping global to all classes is interesting when we don't know the class names ahead of time (for example when transforming a user application). This is the case of this reported issue. The annotated class is a user class.

BTW, the reported problem with Annotations parameter values containing String is that they don't benefit from ConstantPool UTF8 direct transformation, The String "javax.jms.Queue" is transformed in the constant Pool to "jakarta.jms.Queue" but the Annotation Parameter value still references "javax.jms.Queue" that is still present in the ConstantPool.

[jfdenise]

@bjhargrave @tbitonti I am wandering if String constant (ConstantPool.CONSTANT_String, ConstantValueAttribute.NAME) should be attempted to be transformed as Descriptor (like in https://github.com/eclipse/transformer/blob/master/org.eclipse.transformer/src/main/java/org/eclipse/transformer/action/impl/ClassActionImpl.java#L815 or https://github.com/eclipse/transformer/blob/master/org.eclipse.transformer/src/main/java/org/eclipse/transformer/action/impl/ClassActionImpl.java#L1138)
This transformation will transform the following code: public static final String CONST="javax.jms.Queue" to "jakarta.jms.Queue"
due to the fallback to https://github.com/eclipse/transformer/blob/master/org.eclipse.transformer/src/main/java/org/eclipse/transformer/action/impl/SignatureRuleImpl.java#L601
Is it expected? I was under the assumption that only direct string mapping would be applied for String constants.