Add easy method to get the parsed information from java.lang.reflection

[LarsEckart]

Intention

We generate documentation to list all of the entry points people might be interested for our project. In this documentation, we also want to link to the source code. To do this, we used JavaParser as the default java reflection API will not give us line numbers. This meant being able to take a method found via reflection and find the corresponding one when parsing the source file.

Overall, this worked very well and we're greatful for java parser but it did require a bit of work to get there. We thought about publishing it as a separate utility, but believe it would be better as part of java parser.

What it is

There are two main functionalities, which we needed, and think could be contributed back.

1. MethodDeclaration getMethodDeclaration(Method method)
2. boolean isParsedMethodEqualToCompiledMethod(Method compiledMethod, MethodDeclaration parsedMethod)

Number 2 greatly enables number 1 but number 1 will also find the corresponding source file and parse it as well.

Ways to contribute back

• The source code is at https://github.com/isidore/JavaParsing_AI/blob/master/src/main/java/org/samples/ParserUtilities.java - feel free to just copy it
• Alternatively, we (@isidore @LarsEckart @ollin) will happily pair with you to add it to your repository. This is the best option but would require 30min zoom call.
• We can create a pull request. If so, let us know if you would like us to add the unit tests and where to put them. Also please suggest the name you would like for ParserUtilities.

Thanks!

Lars, Llewellyn, Oliver

[jlerbsc]

Thank you for your suggestion, but it seems to me that what you're describing is very specific to your project and doesn't need to be integrated into JP.

[LarsEckart]

The main functionality this offers is checking that a parsed type is equal to a compiled type found via reflection, can you clarify why this is specific to us and wouldn't fit into JP?