Create a Java Annotation with IDE contextual behaviour

Question

I've created an Annotation

/**
 * Highlights this method is declared in XML
 */
public @interface FromXML {
}

I'm using this on methods that look like this:

@FromXML
public void onSomethingClick(View v){

}

The v variable is needed by the Android reflection system to call this method. However the input var v is unused, so my IDE warns me of this. I like this warning and want it on for the rest of my code.

To hide the warning I could do

@SuppressWarnings("unused")
@FromXML
public void onSomethingClick(View v){

}

or I could add a param tag

But I would rather that the IDE (eclipse) reads my @FromXML annotation and doesn't give me the warning.

I know you can't extend an Annotation, but thats basically what I want to do.

Is there a way I can add my annotation to be recognised as a 'suppress warnings' annotation.

or

Is there a way to code my annotation to 'act like' suppress warnings?

Answer 1

Ok I can't do this in any easy way or form.

Looking at the annotation package http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/lang/annotation/package-summary.html

I can't extend an annotation: Why is not possible to extend annotations in Java?

I can't implement another annotation java.lang.Override

I can't mimic / mock / pretend to be @Override

If I add @Override to my @FromXML it is NOT inherited down the chain.

The only way would be to create an Eclipse plugin that recognises my annotation and stops the warning. Shame because I can't find an easy way to do this.

I also went down the route of creating an interface for my @FromXML entry points, this was very nice and communicated my Activity was of a type and therefore I didn't need the annotation anymore, perhaps this design change is the answer.