A simpler model for repeating annotations

[Ali Ebrahimi]

Hi,
you mean this changes is not in scope of java 8. can we make current
proposal forward compatible for such changes in future?

Ali

On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 11:24 PM, Alex Buckley <alex.buckley at oracle.com>wrote:

> Sharing a single containing annotation type between multiple repeating
> annotation types is not unreasonable. However, it fundamentally relies on
> annotation subtyping, which was not in scope for JEP 120.
>
> Alex
>
>
> On 1/8/2013 3:17 AM, Ali Ebrahimi wrote:
>
>> Hi Alex,
>> I think, I'm late to list.
>> The following is just my 2 cent suggestion to your proposal.
>>
>> 1) Introduce AnnotationContainer annotation in java.lang package (java
>> se 8 ) as default container for repeating annotations:
>>
>> @interface AnnotationContainer{ Annotation[] value(); }
>> (relax rules of jls 9.6.1 to include Annotation (class) type)
>>
>> 2) Modify Repeatable annotation:
>> @interface Repeatable{ Class<? extends Annotation> value() default
>> AnnotationContainer.class; }
>>
>> with 1, 2 in mind we have one standard default container annotation for
>> all repeating annotations that don't specify containing annotation. This
>> allows to package all repeating annotations in one container annotation
>> and reduce static and dynamic footprint. In other side, developer don't
>> need to introduce one containing annotation for each repeating
>> annotations, this also reduce number of class files and makes this
>> feature of java 8 user friendly for developer. developer just need
>> annotate repeating annotations with Repeatable annotation.
>>
>> example:
>>
>> @Repeatable
>> @interface Foo { int value(); }
>>
>> @Repeatable
>> @interface Bar{}
>>
>> @Repeatable(AliContainer.**class)
>> @interface Ali{ String value();}
>>
>> @interface AliContainer{ Ali[] value(); }
>>
>>
>> @Foo(1) @Foo(2) @Bar @Bar @Ali("java lover") @Ali("Flying on the Clouds")
>> class A {}
>>
>> in class file:
>>
>> @AnnotationContainer({@Foo(1), @Foo(2), @Bar, @Bar})
>> @AliContainer({@Ali("java lover"), at Ali("Flying on the Clouds")})
>> class A {}
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Ali Ebrahimi
>>
>