Summary

Instead of deprecating the Java SE 6-era visitor types in javax.lang.model.util, just deprecation their constructors instead.

Problem

As part of JDK-8050430, the Java SE 6 vintage utility visitors in javax.lang.model.util were deprecated. This deprecation is a bit overly aggressive; deprecating the constructors of the utility visitors would suffice.

Solution

Deprecation the constructors of the visitors rather than the visitor types.

Specification

src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor6.java
@@ -72,21 +72,21 @@
  *
  * @see AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor7
  * @see AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor8
  * @see AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public abstract class AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor6<R, P>
     implements AnnotationValueVisitor<R, P> {

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses to call.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor6() {}

     /**
      * Visits an annotation value as if by passing itself to that
      * value's {@link AnnotationValue#accept accept}.  The invocation


src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/AbstractElementVisitor6.java
@@ -74,19 +74,19 @@
  *
  * @see AbstractElementVisitor7
  * @see AbstractElementVisitor8
  * @see AbstractElementVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public abstract class AbstractElementVisitor6<R, P> implements ElementVisitor<R, P> {
     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses to call.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected AbstractElementVisitor6(){}

     /**
      * Visits any program element as if by passing itself to that
      * element's {@link Element#accept accept} method.  The invocation

src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/AbstractTypeVisitor6.java

@@ -73,19 +73,19 @@
  *
  * @see AbstractTypeVisitor7
  * @see AbstractTypeVisitor8
  * @see AbstractTypeVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public abstract class AbstractTypeVisitor6<R, P> implements TypeVisitor<R, P> {
     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses to call.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected AbstractTypeVisitor6() {}

     /**
      * Visits any type mirror as if by passing itself to that type
      * mirror's {@link TypeMirror#accept accept} method.  The


src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/ElementKindVisitor6.java

@@ -88,31 +88,34 @@
  *
  * @see ElementKindVisitor7
  * @see ElementKindVisitor8
  * @see ElementKindVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public class ElementKindVisitor6<R, P>
                   extends SimpleElementVisitor6<R, P> {
     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses {@code null} for the
      * default value.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected ElementKindVisitor6() {
         super(null);
     }

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses the argument for the
      * default value.
      *
      * @param defaultValue the value to assign to {@link #DEFAULT_VALUE}
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected ElementKindVisitor6(R defaultValue) {
         super(defaultValue);
     }

     /**

src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/ElementScanner6.java
@@ -90,35 +90,38 @@
  *
  * @see ElementScanner7
  * @see ElementScanner8
  * @see ElementScanner9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public class ElementScanner6<R, P> extends AbstractElementVisitor6<R, P> {
     /**
      * The specified default value.
      */
     protected final R DEFAULT_VALUE;

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses {@code null} for the
      * default value.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected ElementScanner6(){
         DEFAULT_VALUE = null;
     }

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses the argument for the
      * default value.
      *
      * @param defaultValue the default value
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected ElementScanner6(R defaultValue){
         DEFAULT_VALUE = defaultValue;
     }

     /**


src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor6.java

@@ -81,14 +81,11 @@
  *
  * @see SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor7
  * @see SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor8
  * @see SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public class SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor6<R, P>
     extends AbstractAnnotationValueVisitor6<R, P> {

     /**

@@ -99,22 +96,28 @@
     protected final R DEFAULT_VALUE;

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses {@code null} for the
      * default value.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor6() {
         super();
         DEFAULT_VALUE = null;
     }

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses the argument for the
      * default value.
      *
      * @param defaultValue the value to assign to {@link #DEFAULT_VALUE}
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected SimpleAnnotationValueVisitor6(R defaultValue) {
         super();
         DEFAULT_VALUE = defaultValue;
     }


src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/SimpleElementVisitor6.java
@@ -85,14 +85,11 @@
  *
  * @see SimpleElementVisitor7
  * @see SimpleElementVisitor8
  * @see SimpleElementVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public class SimpleElementVisitor6<R, P> extends AbstractElementVisitor6<R, P> {
     /**
      * Default value to be returned; {@link #defaultAction
      * defaultAction} returns this value unless the method is

@@ -101,21 +98,27 @@
     protected final R DEFAULT_VALUE;

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses {@code null} for the
      * default value.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected SimpleElementVisitor6(){
         DEFAULT_VALUE = null;
     }

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses the argument for the
      * default value.
      *
      * @param defaultValue the value to assign to {@link #DEFAULT_VALUE}
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected SimpleElementVisitor6(R defaultValue){
         DEFAULT_VALUE = defaultValue;
     }
     /**
      * The default action for visit methods.  The implementation in


src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/SimpleTypeVisitor6.java
@@ -85,14 +85,11 @@
  *
  * @see SimpleTypeVisitor7
  * @see SimpleTypeVisitor8
  * @see SimpleTypeVisitor9
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public class SimpleTypeVisitor6<R, P> extends AbstractTypeVisitor6<R, P> {
     /**
      * Default value to be returned; {@link #defaultAction
      * defaultAction} returns this value unless the method is

@@ -101,21 +98,27 @@
     protected final R DEFAULT_VALUE;

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses {@code null} for the
      * default value.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected SimpleTypeVisitor6(){
         DEFAULT_VALUE = null;
     }

     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses; uses the argument for the
      * default value.
      *
      * @param defaultValue the value to assign to {@link #DEFAULT_VALUE}
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected SimpleTypeVisitor6(R defaultValue){
         DEFAULT_VALUE = defaultValue;
     }

     /**


src/java.compiler/share/classes/javax/lang/model/util/TypeKindVisitor6.java
@@ -83,31 +83,34 @@
  * @author Peter von der Ah&eacute;
  *
  * @see TypeKindVisitor7
  * @see TypeKindVisitor8
  * @since 1.6
- * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
- * release level.
  */
-@Deprecated
 @SupportedSourceVersion(RELEASE_6)
 public class TypeKindVisitor6<R, P> extends SimpleTypeVisitor6<R, P> {
     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses to call; uses {@code null}
      * for the default value.
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected TypeKindVisitor6() {
         super(null);
     }


     /**
      * Constructor for concrete subclasses to call; uses the argument
      * for the default value.
      *
      * @param defaultValue the value to assign to {@link #DEFAULT_VALUE}
+     * @deprecated Release 6 is obsolete; update to a visitor for a newer
+     * release level.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected TypeKindVisitor6(R defaultValue) {
         super(defaultValue);
     }

     /**