Javadoc shows Error "reference not found" although reference cleary exists

Question

With Java8 the javadoc checks became stricter. The common solution is to disable the strict javadoc checking. Nevertheless, I started trying to fix the errors in some projects.
But there is one error I don't get fixed.

The corresponding class:

package foo;

import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.TextArea;
[...]

public class MyClass {

  [...]

  /**
   * @see TextArea#getValue()
   */
  public String getValue() {
      [...]
  }

  /**
   * @see TextArea#setValue(String value)
   */
  public void setValue(String value) {
      [...]
  }

  /**
   * @see TextArea#setValue(String, boolean)
   */
  public void setValue(String value, boolean fireEvents) {
      [...]
  }
}

And the error message:

[ERROR] ...\MyClass.java:44: error: reference not found
[ERROR] * @see TextArea#setValue(String value)  
[ERROR] ^
[ERROR] ...\MyClass.java:51: error: reference not found
[ERROR] * @see TextArea#setValue(String, boolean)

The error message states that it cannot find TextArea in the Javadoc of the setValue-Methods - but on the other hand has no problems to find TextArea on the getValue-Method.

As far as I can say, I followed How to specify a name as well as @see reference.

Any clues? Thanks a lot!

score 11 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 17 '16 at 13:30

Okay, I got the answer now, it's a bit tricky!

TextArea extends ValueBoxBase<String>
TextArea#getValue() has no Parameters, so everything is fine
The Method TextArea#setValue(String value) does not exist in TextArea, it is rather defined in the superclass: ValueBoxBase#setValue(Object, boolean).

But there it is! There is "technically" no method setValue(String). It's rather setValue(Object). There is either no way for javadoc to resolve this on its own or it's just a bug.

Thus, the only was I found to solve this is using the reference to the superclass.

/**
 * @see com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.ValueBoxBase#setValue(Object, boolean)
 */

See also [here](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15905127/overridden-methods-in-javadoc) — markus_, Oct 17 '16 at 13:33

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 16 '16 at 17:35

1

Instead of:

/**
 * @see TextArea#getValue()
 */

Try:

/**
 * @see com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.TextArea#getValue()
 */

answered Oct 16 '16 at 17:35

Daniel

21,933
14
72
101

I already tried with no success `[ERROR] ..\MyClass.java:51: error: reference not found [ERROR] * @see com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.TextArea#setValue(String, boolean)` – markus_ Oct 17 '16 at 09:58

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 12 '21 at 12:56

0

I had the sameproblem. But I solved without () of method.

@see ClassTest.method

answered Dec 12 '21 at 12:56

worldbiomusic

1
2

Javadoc shows Error "reference not found" although reference cleary exists

3 Answers3