Validate method arguments
Avoid @throws in javadoc
@throws
javadoc comment (same as @exception
). Some argue that an @throws
should be included for every thrown exception, since it's the only way
to clearly state all requirements made upon the caller (the pre-conditions).
However, others disagree.
If all null
object parameters passed to class methods cause
a NullPointerException
, then it's acceptable to state this once
in the class javadoc comment, instead of repeating it for every method.
Another alternative is to state in overview.html
(javadoc's summary
description of an application) that all parameters are to be considered
as non-null unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Example
This example has an unusually large number of pre-conditions. Remarks
regarding NullPointerException
are placed in the class level javadoc
comment.
Note that the unchecked SecurityException
is thrown indirectly,
through the calls to the methods of the File
class.
import java.io.*; /** * If a null object parameter is passed to any method, then a * <tt>NullPointerException</tt> will be thrown. */ public final class WriteTextFile { //..other methods elided /** * Change the contents of a text file in its entirety, overwriting any * existing text. * * @param file is an existing file (not a directory) which can be written. * @param contents is the text to be placed into aFile. * * @exception FileNotFoundException if file does not exist. * @exception IOException if stream to file cannot be written to or closed. * * @exception IllegalArgumentException if file is a directory. * @exception IllegalArgumentException if file cannot be written. * @exception SecurityException if a SecurityManager exists and * disallows read or write access to aFile. */ static public void setContents(File file, String contents) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException { if (file == null) { throw new NullPointerException("File must not be null."); } if (contents == null) { throw new NullPointerException("Contents must not be null."); } if (!file.exists()) { throw new FileNotFoundException ("File does not exist: " + file); } if (!file.isFile()) { throw new IllegalArgumentException("Must not be a directory: " + file); } if (!file.canWrite()) { throw new IllegalArgumentException("File cannot be written: " + file); } try (Writer output = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(file))) { output.write(contents); } } public static void main (String... args) throws IOException { File testFile = new File("C:\\Temp\\blah.txt"); setContents(testFile, "blah blah blah"); } }