/* * @(#)Target.java 1.5 04/06/22 * * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms. */ package java.lang.annotation; /** * Indicates the kinds of program element to which an annotation type * is applicable. If a Target meta-annotation is not present on an * annotation type declaration, the declared type may be used on any * program element. If such a meta-annotation is present, the compiler * will enforce the specified usage restriction. * * For example, this meta-annotation indicates that the declared type is * itself a meta-annotation type. It can only be used on annotation type * declarations: *
 *    @Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)
 *    public @interface MetaAnnotationType {
 *        ... 
 *    }
 * 
* This meta-annotation indicates that the declared type is intended solely * for use as a member type in complex annotation type declarations. It * cannot be used to annotate anything directly: *
 *    @Target({}) 
 *    public @interface MemberType {
 *        ...
 *    }
 * 
* It is a compile-time error for a single ElementType constant to * appear more than once in a Target annotation. For example, the * following meta-annotation is illegal: *
 *    @Target({ElementType.FIELD, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.FIELD})
 *    public @interface Bogus {
 *        ...
 *    }
 * 
*/ @Documented @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME) @Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE) public @interface Target { ElementType[] value(); }