private static final fields not removed after compilation???

[Henri]

I'm using lots of private static final fields inside my source so that I can
manage constants easily.
Once the source is compiled, these fields become useless as the compiler
replace each constant name by its value.
But the fields themselves are not removed.
I thought that it would work like DEFINE is C, but it doesn't.
Even the obfuscator Proguard doesn't remove these useless fields that must
make the .jar bigger.
Did I miss something?
Can you help me?
Thanks !

 

[Henri]

But all my constants are private, so how another source using the classes
containing these private constants would have access to them?
Anyway, is there any shrinker/obfuscator that would remove them?
Thanks for your help!

Henri

 

[Roedy Green]

I'm using lots of private static final fields inside my source so that I can
manage constants easily.

They have a use during compilation. Other classes being compiled look
at the class file to help them compile too. A make program in theory
should be able to notice these and ensure all gets recompiled if a
constant value changes.

Class files are quite tiny compared with native exe files. Further
strings compact well inside jars. You are sweating the small stuff.

 

[Roedy Green]

Anyway, is there any shrinker/obfuscator that would remove them?
Thanks for your help!

an obfuscator will shrink them down to 2 letter names.

See http://mindprod.com/jgloss/obfuscator.html

 

[Tim Tyler]

: But all my constants are private, so how another source using the classes
: containing these private constants would have access to them?
: Anyway, is there any shrinker/obfuscator that would remove them?

Probably.

JAX used to do that - even if they were public - I believe.

Also, try JoGa: http://www.nq4.de/

 

[James Hicks]

Are the constants primitive types? if they are, just write a utlity that
modifies the byte code - look at jakarta for an example byte code
manipulation utility.

If they are non-primitive types, the compiler shouldn't inline them.

James