This is the README file for version 0.9b of javap for GNO/ME.

The program is intended to mirror the functionality of Sun Microsystems'
JDK Java disassembler, javap.  It is not a port; it was designed from the
specifications given in the O'Reilly book "Java Virtual Machine" by
Jon Meyer and Troy Downing.

Use "javap -help" to get a list of options and arguments.  The following
options from Sun's javap are supported: -c, -classpath, -p, -version.
The following options from Sun's javap are *not* supported: -h, -l,
-s, -v, -verify.  The default path to be searched for class files
consists of "." and "/usr/local/java/classes", plus the directories
given in the CLASSPATH environment variable, if any.

I eventually plan to write a Java interpreter for GNO/ME.  This project
seemed like a good first step to take.

This version of the program has beta status for the following reasons:

o   The program will not catch all possible class file format errors.
    Unanticipated errors will likely cause the program to crash and/or
    corrupt your memory. However, you shouldn't have any problems
    unless you deliberately corrupt the class file or generated the file
    with a buggy compiler.  I have no plans at this time to write a
    class file verifier; you would be well-advised to pass your class
    files through a verifier on another platform before attempting to
    disassemble (or, later, execute) them on GNO/ME.

o   Although I am not aware of any remaining bugs in the program, it has
    not yet been exhaustively tested.  (I did run a large (20K) class file
    compiled from a source file I wrote through the program, and it
    passed with flying colors.)

o   Some small amount of class file information is not available (eg,
    certain information relating to catching exceptions) which will be
    available in the first nonbeta release.


The program is freeware.

Send questions, comments, etc, to me, Sean McAfee, at mcafee@umich.edu,
or post them to the Usenet newsgroup comp.sys.apple2.gno.


Apple ][ Forever!