Module java.compiler
Package javax.annotation.processing

# Interface Messager

public interface Messager
A `Messager` provides the way for an annotation processor to report error messages, warnings, and other notices. Elements, annotations, and annotation values can be passed to provide a location hint for the message. However, such location hints may be unavailable or only approximate.

Printing a message with an error kind will raise an error.

API Note:
  The messages "printed" by methods in this interface may or may not appear as textual output to a location like `System.out` or `System.err`. Implementations may choose to present this information in a different fashion, such as messages in a window.
Since:
  1.6
See Also:
  - `ProcessingEnvironment.getLocale()`

## Method Summary

Modifier and Type
Method
Description
`default void`
`printError(CharSequence msg)`
Prints an error.
`default void`
`printError(CharSequence msg, Element e)`
Prints an error at the location of the element.
`void`
`printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg)`
Prints a message of the specified kind.
`void`
`printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg, Element e)`
Prints a message of the specified kind at the location of the element.
`void`
`printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg, Element e, AnnotationMirror a)`
Prints a message of the specified kind at the location of the annotation mirror of the annotated element.
`void`
`printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg, Element e, AnnotationMirror a, AnnotationValue v)`
Prints a message of the specified kind at the location of the annotation value inside the annotation mirror of the annotated element.
`default void`
`printNote(CharSequence msg)`
Prints a note.
`default void`
`printNote(CharSequence msg, Element e)`
Prints a note at the location of the element.
`default void`
`printWarning(CharSequence msg)`
Prints a warning.
`default void`
`printWarning(CharSequence msg, Element e)`
Prints a warning at the location of the element.

## Method Details

### printMessage

void printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg)
Prints a message of the specified kind.

Parameters:
  `kind` - the kind of message
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none

### printMessage

void printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg, Element e)
Prints a message of the specified kind at the location of the element.

Parameters:
  `kind` - the kind of message
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
  `e` - the element to use as a position hint

### printMessage

void printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg, Element e, AnnotationMirror a)
Prints a message of the specified kind at the location of the annotation mirror of the annotated element.

Parameters:
  `kind` - the kind of message
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
  `e` - the annotated element
  `a` - the annotation to use as a position hint

### printMessage

void printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind kind, CharSequence msg, Element e, AnnotationMirror a, AnnotationValue v)
Prints a message of the specified kind at the location of the annotation value inside the annotation mirror of the annotated element.

Parameters:
  `kind` - the kind of message
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
  `e` - the annotated element
  `a` - the annotation containing the annotation value
  `v` - the annotation value to use as a position hint

### printError

default void printError(CharSequence msg)
Prints an error.

Implementation Requirements:
  The default implementation is equivalent to `printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.ERROR, msg)`.
Parameters:
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
Since:
  18

### printError

default void printError(CharSequence msg, Element e)
Prints an error at the location of the element.

Implementation Requirements:
  The default implementation is equivalent to `printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.ERROR, msg, e)`.
Parameters:
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
  `e` - the element to use as a position hint
Since:
  18

### printWarning

default void printWarning(CharSequence msg)
Prints a warning.

Implementation Requirements:
  The default implementation is equivalent to `printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.WARNING, msg)`.
Parameters:
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
Since:
  18

### printWarning

default void printWarning(CharSequence msg, Element e)
Prints a warning at the location of the element.

Implementation Requirements:
  The default implementation is equivalent to `printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.WARNING, msg, e)`.
Parameters:
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
  `e` - the element to use as a position hint
Since:
  18

### printNote

default void printNote(CharSequence msg)
Prints a note.

Implementation Requirements:
  The default implementation is equivalent to `printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.NOTE, msg)`.
Parameters:
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
Since:
  18

### printNote

default void printNote(CharSequence msg, Element e)
Prints a note at the location of the element.

Implementation Requirements:
  The default implementation is equivalent to `printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.NOTE, msg, e)`.
Parameters:
  `msg` - the message, or an empty string if none
  `e` - the element to use as a position hint
Since:
  18