What comments do you put on an unimplemented method?

@mr_mlk (364)
August 11, 2008 12:56pm CST
Every now and again I end up implementing an interface and the interface having one or two methods that does not make sense for the class to implement (such as a read-only list or a custom read-only Data Source). Natrually I have it throw a NotImplemenetedException so if it is called any problems are caught early. But the question of what comments do I write shows up. I could just do: /** Unimplemented. Always throws NotImplementedException. * {@inheritDoc} */ So I don't have to fill in any @param tags and/or the @return tag. But it does not clearly state that the params are ignored and it will never return normally. But the alternative: /** Unimplemented. Always throws NotImplementedException. * @param param1 Ignored * @return Never returns normally. */ can be quite long winded. Esp. for what is just a NO-OP. So which do/would you use and why?
2 responses
@movicont (495)
• United States
12 Aug 08
I also agree that the first one is better. Shorter and more to the point--that's what comments are for, anyway. Unless company policy dictates that you use the second one, use the first.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
11 Aug 08
I would use the first one because "Always throws NotImplementedException" says it all. As I see it, you really don't need to get into specifics.
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