JAutodoc is a very useful eclipse plugin which helps in generating javadoc style comments very easily.

Reduce Java Code commenting effort using JAutodoc (eclipse plugin)

     

INTRODUCTION

Summary

JAutodoc is a very useful eclipse plugin which helps in generating javadoc style comments very easily. Apart from adding the template for javadoc style comments for the class/method & attributes it is smart enough to add the description also based on the signatures. This can cover a substantial part of description creation effort for the methods like the setters/getters etc which do not need much human skills to generate the descriptions.

Installation

Unzip the jautodoc_1.5.0.zip file from the eclipse folder.
Verify the following files get copied as shown :
Plugin folder :



Features folder



Restart eclipse.
The JAutodoc feature should be available in preferences

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Usage

Select the whole file or method or attribute -> Rightclick -> Add Javadoc

Advantages over eclipse provided Javadoc generation

• Commenting the whole file in one click is possible, eclipse provides only on element basis
• File heading is possible
• Preserves the previous Javadoc comment, where as eclipse blindly adds another comment on the same element if run again.
• Can define various parameters like $author etc. Where as eclipse has fixed number of parameters and their value is not definable.
• Can generate descriptions for variables/methods based on some logic, eclipse can generate descriptions for only set / get type methods.

Recommended Settings

General Settings

File Header

What ever is set here, will appear in the top of each Java file.
Sample:
*
* ****************************************************
* * Product Catalog *
* * Release 1 . 00 *
* * ABC Technologis Ltd. *
* ****************************************************
*/

Templates

Define properties

Refer the property as $author in the templates.

Method returning values

/**
* ${e.g(2).rsfu()} .
* @param
* @return ${e.g(1).rsfl()}
* @throws
* @author $author

*/

Eclipse setting for overridden methods

Set it like, as the default eclipse setting generates non javadoc comment, and does not have provision to add project specific description if required.

/**
*
* ${see_to_overridden}
*/

Export Templates

Export templates after preparing on one machine & testing, to the whole team :

Import templates

Importing of the project template by every developer in the team

Example

Before

package VSpring2.service; import org.apache.commons.logging.Log; import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory; public class PriceIncrease { /** Logger for this class and subclasses */ protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(getClass()); private int percentage; public void setPercentage(int i) { percentage = i; logger.info("Percentage set to " + i); } public int getPercentage() { return percentage; } }

After JAutodoc

/* * **************************************************** * * SPRING REFERENCE APPLICATION * * * Release 1.00 * * * Technology Solution Group - MFG BU * * **************************************************** */ package VSpring2.service; import org.apache.commons.logging.Log; import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory; /** * The Class PriceIncrease. */ public class PriceIncrease { /** Logger for this class and subclasses */ protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(getClass()); /** The percentage. */ private int percentage; /** * Sets the percentage. * * @param i the new percentage */ public void setPercentage(int i) { percentage = i; logger.info("Percentage set to " + i); } /** * Gets the percentage. * * @return the percentage */ public int getPercentage() { return percentage; } }

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