FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0-b105)
Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (build 1.6.0-b105, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux magic 2.6.17.13 #1 SMP Mon Dec 11 15:16:08 EST 2006 i686 AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 852 AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
javac fails to compile any any annotation with an element default value that references a constant in another class or interface. However, compilation succeeds without processing annotations

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. Try to compile an annotation with a default value for an element that references a constant in another class.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
javac should compile the annotation class without an error.
ACTUAL -
javac will fail with an error message of the form:
found : <element type>
required: <element type>
<element type> <element name>() default <constant expression that references another class or interface>;

for example,

package test;

public class TestConstants {

    public static final String DEFAULT = "Test";

}
package test;

public @interface Test {

   String x() default TestConstants.DEFAULT

}

results in:

found : java.lang.String
required: java.lang.String
     String x() default TestConstants.DEFAULT;

when compiled with any annotation processor.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
found : java.lang.String
required: java.lang.String
     String x() default TestConstants.DEFAULT;


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
package test;

import java.util.Set;

import javax.annotation.processing.AbstractProcessor;
import javax.annotation.processing.RoundEnvironment;
import javax.annotation.processing.SupportedAnnotationTypes;
import javax.annotation.processing.SupportedOptions;
import javax.annotation.processing.SupportedSourceVersion;
import javax.lang.model.SourceVersion;
import javax.lang.model.element.TypeElement;

@SupportedOptions(value = {})
@SupportedSourceVersion(value = SourceVersion.RELEASE_6)
@SupportedAnnotationTypes(value = {"test.Test"})
public class TestProcessor extends AbstractProcessor {

public boolean process(Set<? extends TypeElement> annotations, RoundEnvironment roundEnv) {
throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
}

}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
package test;

public @interface Test {

String x() default TestConstants.DEFAULT;

}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
package test;

public class TestConstants {

public static final String DEFAULT = "test";

}


---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
You must use only hardcoded constants. For example, change the definition of x to

String x() default "test" works fine.

Perhaps even worse, however, is that you can never have default values that are enumerations.