Invoking statically imported method with explicit type parameters

Question

This is the follow up of my question here: Weird Java generic.

If I have a code like this:

Casts. cast(iterable[index]);

<

Answer 1

No, you can't : I just confirmed this via some test code.

PS > javac -version
javac 1.6.0_04

Casts.java

public class Casts
{
    public static  To cast(final From object)
    {
        return (To)object;
    }
}

Test.java

import static Casts.cast;

public class Test
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        final Integer integer = new Integer(5);

        // This one compiles fine.
        final Number number = Casts.cast(integer);

        // This one fails compilation:
        // PS> javac Test.java
        // Test.java:11: illegal start of expression
        //             final Number number = cast(integer);
        //                                                    ^
        // Test.java:11: not a statement
        //             final Number number = cast(integer);
        //                                                        ^
        final String string = cast(integer);
    }
}