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Opcodes for arrays

Instantiation of new arrays is accomplished via the newarray, anewarray, and multianewarray opcodes. The newarray opcode is used to create arrays of primitive types other than object references. The particular primitive type is specified by a single one-byte operand following the newarray opcode. The newarray instruction can create arrays for byte, short, char, int, long, float, double, or boolean.

The anewarray instruction creates an array of object references. Two one-byte operands follow the anewarray opcode and are combined to form a 16-bit index into the constant pool. A description of the class of object for which the array is to be created is found in the constant pool at the specified index. This instruction allocates space for the array of object references and initializes the references to null.

The multianewarray instruction is used to allocate multidimensional arrays -- which are simply arrays of arrays -- and could be allocated with repeated use of the anewarray and newarray instructions. The multianewarray instruction simply compresses the bytecodes needed to create multidimensional arrays into one instruction. Two one-byte operands follow the multianewarray opcode and are combined to form a 16-bit index into the constant pool. A description of the class of object for which the array is to be created is found in the constant pool at the specified index. Immediately following the two one-byte operands that form the constant pool index is a one-byte operand that specifies the number of dimensions in this multidimensional array. The sizes for each dimension are popped off the stack. This instruction allocates space for all arrays that are needed to implement the multidimensional arrays.

Creating new arrays

Opcode	Operand(s)	Description
newarray	atype	pops length, allocates new array of primitive types of type indicated by atype, pushes objectref of new array
anewarray	indexbyte1, indexbyte2	pops length, allocates a new array of objects of class indicated by indexbyte1 and indexbyte2, pushes objectref of new array
multianewarray	indexbyte1, indexbyte2, dimensions	pops dimensions number of array lengths, allocates a new multidimensional array of class indicated by indexbyte1 and indexbyte2, pushes objectref of new array

The next table shows the instruction that pops an array reference off the top of the stack and pushes the length of that array.

Getting the array length

Opcode	Operand(s)	Description
arraylength	(none)	pops objectref of an array, pushes length of that array

The following opcodes retrieve an element from an array. The array index and array reference are popped from the stack, and the value at the specified index of the specified array is pushed back onto the stack.

Retrieving an array element

Opcode	Operand(s)	Description
baload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of bytes, pushes arrayref[index]
caload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of chars, pushes arrayref[index]
saload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of shorts, pushes arrayref[index]
iaload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of ints, pushes arrayref[index]
laload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of longs, pushes arrayref[index]
faload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of floats, pushes arrayref[index]
daload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of doubles, pushes arrayref[index]
aaload	(none)	pops index and arrayref of an array of objectrefs, pushes arrayref[index]

The next table shows the opcodes that store a value into an array element. The value, index, and array reference are popped from the top of the stack.

Storing to an array element

Opcode	Operand(s)	Description
bastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of bytes, assigns arrayref[index] = value
castore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of chars, assigns arrayref[index] = value
sastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of shorts, assigns arrayref[index] = value
iastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of ints, assigns arrayref[index] = value
lastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of longs, assigns arrayref[index] = value
fastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of floats, assigns arrayref[index] = value
dastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of doubles, assigns arrayref[index] = value
aastore	(none)	pops value, index, and arrayref of an array of objectrefs, assigns arrayref[index] = value