SYNOPSIS
--------
javac does not enforce required annotation elements in arrays

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION
-------------------
javac does not validate the elements of an annotation within another annotation which is missing mandatory attributes.

While javac does not complain, the code fails at runtime with an IncompleteAnnotationException.

JDK VERSION
-----------
Problem occurs with all 5.0, 6 and 7 releases/builds. This issue is also not covered by the prototype JDK 7 fix for CR 6881115, which describes a similar problem (we've tested with that fix in place).

TESTCASE
--------
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;

@ds({@d})
//@d

public class AnnotationTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(AnnotationTest.class.getAnnotation(ds.class).value()[0].name());
    }
}

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@interface d { String name();}

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@interface ds { d[] value();}

REPRODUCTION INSTRUCTIONS
-------------------------
Compile and run the testcase provided.

Expected behaviour:
A compile-time error, probably at line 14.

Actual behaviour:
Compiles without warning or error. IncompleteAnnotationException is thrown when the program is executed:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.annotation.IncompleteAnnotationException: d missing element name
        at sun.reflect.annotation.AnnotationInvocationHandler.invoke(AnnotationInvocationHandler.java:53)
        at $Proxy1.name(Unknown Source)
        at c.main(c.java:7)

The problem is that javac did not validate that the name element of the d annotation within the ds annotation is required. If the 'standalone' d annotation (line 5) is uncommented, javac DOES issue an error as follows:

AnnotationTest.java:5: annotation d is missing name
@d
^
1 error