--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/langtools/src/share/classes/com/sun/mirror/apt/AnnotationProcessor.java	Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 2007 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Sun designates this
+ * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
+ * by Sun in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara,
+ * CA 95054 USA or visit www.sun.com if you need additional information or
+ * have any questions.
+ */
+
+package com.sun.mirror.apt;
+
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Collection;
+
+
+/**
+ * An annotation processor, used to examine and process the
+ * annotations of program elements.  An annotation processor may,
+ * for example, create new source files and XML documents to be used
+ * in conjunction with the original code.
+ *
+ * <p> An annotation processor is constructed by a
+ * {@linkplain AnnotationProcessorFactory factory}, which provides it with an
+ * {@linkplain AnnotationProcessorEnvironment environment} that
+ * encapsulates the state it needs.
+ * Messages regarding warnings and errors encountered during processing
+ * should be directed to the environment's {@link Messager},
+ * and new files may be created using the environment's {@link Filer}.
+ *
+ * <p> Each annotation processor is created to process annotations
+ * of a particular annotation type or set of annotation types.
+ * It may use its environment to find the program elements with
+ * annotations of those types.  It may freely examine any other program
+ * elements in the course of its processing.
+ *
+ * @author Joseph D. Darcy
+ * @author Scott Seligman
+ * @since 1.5
+ */
+
+public interface AnnotationProcessor {
+
+    /**
+     * Process all program elements supported by this annotation processor.
+     */
+    void process();
+}