RFR: JDK-8264181: javadoc tool Incorrect error message about malformed link

[Pavel Rappo]

On Mon, 17 May 2021 16:54:07 GMT, Hannes Wallnöfer <hannesw at openjdk.org> wrote:

> The primary problem was that key `compiler.err.dc.ref.bad.parens` had the wrong message "')' missing in reference". That error message is not used when the right parenthesis is missing, but when it occurs before the end of the signature. The missing parenthesis case is caught earlier by the parens balancing code in `DocCommentParser#reference` and uses message `compiler.err.dc.unterminated.signature` ("unterminated signature").
> 
> I changed the message for `compiler.err.dc.ref.bad.parens` to "unexpected parenthesis". 
> 
> A secondary problem was that `DocCommentParser#reference` also threw "unterminated signature" when there were too many closing angle brackets or parentheses. These cases are now passed through in`DocCommentParser#reference` so that `ReferenceParser#parse` can throw a more appropriate error ("unexpected parenthesis" or "unexpected input"). 
> 
> Here's a list of what references now cause what error messages:
> 
>  - `#foo(int`     `unterminated signature`
>  - `#foo((int))`   `unexpected parenthesis`
>  - `#foo(int))`   `unexpected parenthesis`
>  - `#foo(int)x`   `unexpected parenthesis`
>  - `F<T`        `unterminated signature`
>  - `F<T>>`    `unexpected input`
> 
> I added two new tests for the cases with too many closing brackets/parens that used to fail with "unterminated signature".

1. I think this error is a counterintuitive:

       #foo(int)x
       error: unexpected parenthesis

It's `x` that is unexpected, not the parenthesis. It looks correct here, but only coincidentally:

       #foo(int))
       error: unexpected parenthesis

2. The latter case in your list, `F<T>>`, yields "unexpected text", not "unexpected input".
3. Why is there an asymmetry between wording for angle brackets and that of parenthesis?

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PR: https://git.openjdk.java.net/jdk/pull/4068