Documentation with Javadoc

JavaDoc
javadoc utility makes writing and maintaining code
documentation up-to-date easier!
Ships with JDK

Defines a set of specially formatted comments

Can be added to document each
package,
class (& interfaces),
method, and
field

Used to generate HTML documentation of classes or packages

after parsing the comments
HTML documentation of the API
 JavaDoc comments
IMMEDIATELY precede the feature it describes
Consist of
Description of the feature
Copied as is to the documentation page
List of tags
Formatted by javadoc in a consistent style
Used in classes, interfaces, methods and variables
Have the following format:
/**
* Summary sentence.
* More general information about the
* program, class, method or variable which
* follows the comment, using as many lines
* as necessary.
* <SPACE>
* zero or more tags to specify more specific kinds
* of information, such as parameters and return
* values for a method
*/
 JavaDoc comments
Must be provided for every public class or
interface
Must be provided for each public method or
constructor
 JavaDoc Tags
@author name
Name one of the authors of this class
Use multiple tags if there are multiple authors
Used in: Class, Interface, Method
E.g. @author Jane Smith, lab X

@version release
Indicate the version of the software containing this
class
Used in: Class, Interface
 JavaDoc Tags
@see target
Point the reader at something else relevant to read, like another class or
a specific method
Inserts a link pointing to the target
Used in: All

@deprecated text
Marks the entity as deprecated and points the reader to what they
should use instead via an @see tag
Used in: All
 @see tag
Points to another package, class, method, field or even URL
javadoc creates a link

The syntax for the text after @see depends upon what you're
pointing to:
@see package Link to package
@see classname Link to classname in the current package
@see package.classname Link to classname in another package
@see #method Link to method in the current class
@see #method(type) Link to methodwith argument
@see classname#method Link to method in another class
Method in a class in a different package?
@see <a href=url>text</a> Link to URL
 Examples
//same class entities //different package
@see #field entities
@see#Constructor(Type,...) @see package
@see #method(Type, @see package.Class
Type,...) @see package.Class#field
@see
//same package entities package.Class#Constructor(
@see Class Type,...)
@see Class#field @see
package.Class#method(Type,
@seeClass#Constructor(Type Type,...)
,...)
@see //URL
Class#method(Type,...) @see <a href="spec.html#section">Java
Spec</a>
 JavaDoc Tags
@param <name of parameter> short
description of parameter
Describe the named parameter to this method
Skip this tag if the method has no parameters
Used in: Method
E.g. @param size number of elements in the
array

@return text
Describe the value returned by this method
Skip this tag if the method has no return value
Appears after @param tag(s)
Used in: Method
 Example
/**
* Validates a chess move.
*
* @author John Doofus
* @param theFromLoc Location of piece being moved
* @param theRank Rank of piece being moved
* @param theToLoc Location of destination square
* @return true if a valid chess move or false if invalid
*/
boolean isValidMove(int theFromLoc, int theRank, int
theToLoc) { ... }
 JavaDoc Tags
@throws <name of exception> description
of circumstances under which exception
is thrown
Describes the named uncaught checked or explicitly
thrown checked/unchecked exception
Skip this tag if the method throws no exceptions
Should follow @param and @return tags
If method throws more than one exception
they should appear in alphabetical order by exception name
Used in
Method
@throws FileNotFoundException raised if the
user does not specify a valid file name
 Checked vs. Unchecked
You only advertise (via throws on method header) (or catch) and include
@throws for
(P.S. throws on method header exception is not handled in the method but
forwarded to the invoker)
checked exceptions
explicitly thrown unchecked ones

Unchecked exceptions :
beyond your control (Error) or result from a condition that you should not have
allowed in the first place (RuntimeException)

are subclasses of
RuntimeException (e.g. ArrayIndexOutOfBoundException)
Error (e.g. OutOfMemoryError)

The Java compiler checks all exception handling, except exceptions represented
by (subclasses of) Error and RuntimeException
 Checked vs. Unchecked
Checked exceptions:
represent invalid conditions in areas outside the immediate
control of the program
E.g. database problems, network outages, or absent files

are subclasses of Exception (except

RuntimeException)

the compiler will confirm at compile time that the method

includes code that might throw an exception

must be caught or forwarded (advertised)

This can be done in a try ... catch statement or by defining the
exception in the method definition (via throws)
 Class Hierarchy
[http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/java/lang/Throwable.html
java.lang.Object
|
+--java.lang.Throwable
|
+--java.lang.Exception
| |
| +--java.lang.ClassNotFoundException
| |
| +--java.io.IOException
| | |
| | +--java.io.FileNotFoundException
| |
| +--java.lang.RuntimeException
| |
| +--java.lang.NullPointerException
| +--java.lang.ArithmeticException
| +--java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
| +--java.lang.IndexOutOfBoundsException
| |
| +--java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException
|
+--java.lang.Error
|
+--java.lang.VirtualMachineError
|
+--java.lang.OutOfMemoryError
 Tag summary
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/t
ooldocs/win32/javadoc.html

http://java.sun.com/j2se/javadoc/wr
itingdoccomments/
 Minimum Requirements
Class (or package) Method/Constructor
@author <ordered>
@version @param
@see @return
@deprecated @throws
</ordered>
@see
Field

@deprecated (followed by
@see
another @see sometimes)
@deprecated (followed by
another @see sometimes)
 JavaDoc using Eclipse
Code formatter
Highlight code
Source > Format
JavaDoc comment generator
Select the project or file in Package Explorer
Project > Generate Javadoc
Follow wizard