Class JavadocContentLocationCheck

All Implemented Interfaces:
Configurable, Contextualizable

public class JavadocContentLocationCheck extends AbstractCheck

Checks that the Javadoc content begins from the same position for all Javadoc comments in the project. Any leading asterisks and spaces are not counted as the beginning of the content and are therefore ignored.

It is possible to enforce two different styles:

  • first_line - Javadoc content starts from the first line:
     /** Summary text.
       * More details.
       */
     public void method();
     
  • second_line - Javadoc content starts from the second line:
     /**
       * Summary text.
       * More details.
       */
     public void method();
     

This check does not validate the Javadoc summary itself nor its presence. The check will not report any violations for missing or malformed javadoc summary. To validate the Javadoc summary use SummaryJavadoc check.

The Documentation Comment Specification permits leading asterisks on the first line. For these Javadoc comments:

 /***
   * Some text.
   */
 /************
   * Some text.
   */
 /**           **
   * Some text.
   */
 

The documentation generated will be just "Some text." without any asterisks. Since these asterisks will not appear in the generated documentation, they should not be considered as the beginning of the Javadoc content. In such cases, the check assumes that the Javadoc content begins on the second line.

  • Property location - Specify the policy on placement of the Javadoc content. Type is com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.checks.javadoc.JavadocContentLocationOption. Default value is second_line.

To configure the default check to validate that the Javadoc content starts from the second line:

 <module name="JavadocContentLocationCheck"/>
 

This setting produces a violation for each multi-line comment starting on the same line as the initial asterisks:

 /** This comment causes a violation because it starts from the first line
   * and spans several lines.
   */
 /**
   * This comment is OK because it starts from the second line.
   */
 /** This comment is OK because it is on the single line. */
 

To ensure that Javadoc content starts from the first line:

 <module name="JavadocContentLocationCheck">
   <property name="location" value="first_line"/>
 </module>
 

This setting produces a violation for each comment not starting on the same line as the initial asterisks:

 /** This comment is OK because it starts on the first line.
    * There may be additional text.
    */
 /**
   * This comment causes a violation because it starts on the second line.
   */
 /** This single-line comment also is OK. */
 

Parent is com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.TreeWalker

Violation Message Keys:

  • javadoc.content.first.line
  • javadoc.content.second.line
Since:
8.27
  • Field Details

    • MSG_JAVADOC_CONTENT_FIRST_LINE

      public static final String MSG_JAVADOC_CONTENT_FIRST_LINE
      A key is pointing to the warning message text in "messages.properties" file.
      See Also:
    • MSG_JAVADOC_CONTENT_SECOND_LINE

      public static final String MSG_JAVADOC_CONTENT_SECOND_LINE
      A key is pointing to the warning message text in "messages.properties" file.
      See Also:
  • Constructor Details

    • JavadocContentLocationCheck

      public JavadocContentLocationCheck()
  • Method Details

    • getRequiredTokens

      public int[] getRequiredTokens()
      Description copied from class: AbstractCheck
      The tokens that this check must be registered for.
      Specified by:
      getRequiredTokens in class AbstractCheck
      Returns:
      the token set this must be registered for.
      See Also:
    • getAcceptableTokens

      public int[] getAcceptableTokens()
      Description copied from class: AbstractCheck
      The configurable token set. Used to protect Checks against malicious users who specify an unacceptable token set in the configuration file. The default implementation returns the check's default tokens.
      Specified by:
      getAcceptableTokens in class AbstractCheck
      Returns:
      the token set this check is designed for.
      See Also:
    • getDefaultTokens

      public int[] getDefaultTokens()
      Description copied from class: AbstractCheck
      Returns the default token a check is interested in. Only used if the configuration for a check does not define the tokens.
      Specified by:
      getDefaultTokens in class AbstractCheck
      Returns:
      the default tokens
      See Also:
    • isCommentNodesRequired

      public boolean isCommentNodesRequired()
      Description copied from class: AbstractCheck
      Whether comment nodes are required or not.
      Overrides:
      isCommentNodesRequired in class AbstractCheck
      Returns:
      false as a default value.
    • setLocation

      public void setLocation(String value)
      Setter to specify the policy on placement of the Javadoc content.
      Parameters:
      value - string to decode location from
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if unable to decode
    • visitToken

      public void visitToken(DetailAST ast)
      Description copied from class: AbstractCheck
      Called to process a token.
      Overrides:
      visitToken in class AbstractCheck
      Parameters:
      ast - the token to process