--- a/src/share/vm/runtime/fieldType.hpp	Thu Jan 27 13:42:28 2011 -0800
+++ b/src/share/vm/runtime/fieldType.hpp	Thu Jan 27 16:11:27 2011 -0800
@@ -26,26 +26,42 @@
 #define SHARE_VM_RUNTIME_FIELDTYPE_HPP
 
 #include "memory/allocation.hpp"
-#include "oops/symbolOop.hpp"
+#include "oops/symbol.hpp"
 
 // Note: FieldType should be based on the SignatureIterator (or vice versa).
 //       In any case, this structure should be re-thought at some point.
 
 // A FieldType is used to determine the type of a field from a signature string.
 
+// Information returned by get_array_info, which is scoped to decrement
+// reference count if a Symbol is created in the case of T_OBJECT
+class FieldArrayInfo : public StackObj {
+  friend class FieldType;  // field type can set these fields.
+  int       _dimension;
+  Symbol*   _object_key;
+ public:
+  int       dimension()    { return _dimension; }
+  Symbol*   object_key()   { return _object_key; }
+  // basic constructor
+  FieldArrayInfo() : _dimension(0), _object_key(NULL) {}
+  // destructor decrements object key's refcount if created
+  ~FieldArrayInfo() { if (_object_key != NULL) _object_key->decrement_refcount(); }
+};
+
+
 class FieldType: public AllStatic {
  private:
-  static void skip_optional_size(symbolOop signature, int* index);
-  static bool is_valid_array_signature(symbolOop signature);
+  static void skip_optional_size(Symbol* signature, int* index);
+  static bool is_valid_array_signature(Symbol* signature);
  public:
 
   // Return basic type
-  static BasicType basic_type(symbolOop signature);
+  static BasicType basic_type(Symbol* signature);
 
   // Testing
-  static bool is_array(symbolOop signature) { return signature->utf8_length() > 1 && signature->byte_at(0) == '[' && is_valid_array_signature(signature); }
+  static bool is_array(Symbol* signature) { return signature->utf8_length() > 1 && signature->byte_at(0) == '[' && is_valid_array_signature(signature); }
 
-  static bool is_obj(symbolOop signature) {
+  static bool is_obj(Symbol* signature) {
      int sig_length = signature->utf8_length();
      // Must start with 'L' and end with ';'
      return (sig_length >= 2 &&
@@ -54,7 +70,7 @@
   }
 
   // Parse field and extract array information. Works for T_ARRAY only.
-  static BasicType get_array_info(symbolOop signature, jint* dimension, symbolOop *object_key, TRAPS);
+  static BasicType get_array_info(Symbol* signature, FieldArrayInfo& ai, TRAPS);
 };
 
 #endif // SHARE_VM_RUNTIME_FIELDTYPE_HPP