001    /*
002     * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
003     * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
004     *
005     * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
006     * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
007     * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Sun designates this
008     * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
009     * by Sun in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
010     *
011     * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
012     * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
013     * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
014     * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
015     * accompanied this code).
016     *
017     * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
018     * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
019     * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
020     *
021     * Please contact Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara,
022     * CA 95054 USA or visit www.sun.com if you need additional information or
023     * have any questions.
024     */
025    
026    package com.sun.mirror.apt;
027    
028    
029    import java.io.IOException;
030    import java.util.Collection;
031    
032    
033    /**
034     * An annotation processor, used to examine and process the
035     * annotations of program elements.  An annotation processor may,
036     * for example, create new source files and XML documents to be used
037     * in conjunction with the original code.
038     *
039     * <p> An annotation processor is constructed by a
040     * {@linkplain AnnotationProcessorFactory factory}, which provides it with an
041     * {@linkplain AnnotationProcessorEnvironment environment} that
042     * encapsulates the state it needs.
043     * Messages regarding warnings and errors encountered during processing
044     * should be directed to the environment's {@link Messager},
045     * and new files may be created using the environment's {@link Filer}.
046     *
047     * <p> Each annotation processor is created to process annotations
048     * of a particular annotation type or set of annotation types.
049     * It may use its environment to find the program elements with
050     * annotations of those types.  It may freely examine any other program
051     * elements in the course of its processing.
052     *
053     * @author Joseph D. Darcy
054     * @author Scott Seligman
055     * @since 1.5
056     */
057    
058    public interface AnnotationProcessor {
059    
060        /**
061         * Process all program elements supported by this annotation processor.
062         */
063        void process();
064    }