A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
For example, I have an annotation processor. It generates a simple java source file with a constant

public interface HelloWorldMessage {
  String HELLO_WORLD = "Hello World";
}

Then I use the value in annotation

public class UseHelloWorld {
  public static final String HW = HelloWorldMessage.HELLO_WORLD;

  // @Anno(UseHelloWorld.HW) // This line will lead error
  @Anno(HelloWorldMessage.HELLO_WORLD) // This line is ok
  public void bean() {
  }
}

If I use the value indrectly(the first line `@Anno(UseHelloWorld.HW)`), javac will give compiler error that symbol not find. It seems javac skips annotation processing.


REGRESSION : Last worked in version 8u162

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
* You can refer this link https://gist.github.com/XDean/29a225f631cefbc75752b6a35b5ccb28 for sample code

1. Create and copy sources below
2. Compile the 'processor' folder
3. Compile the 'test' folder with classpath to processor folder

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Complier should do annotation processing and compile success. (like directly use the constant)
ACTUAL -
javac will give following error

UseHelloWorld.java:2: error: cannot find symbol
  public static final String HW = HelloWorldMessage.HELLO_WORLD;
                                  ^
  symbol: variable HelloWorldMessage
  location: class UseHelloWorld
UseHelloWorld.java:4: error: element value must be a constant expression
  @Anno(UseHelloWorld.HW)
                     ^
2 errors

That means the annotation processor is skipped.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
* You can refer this link https://gist.github.com/XDean/29a225f631cefbc75752b6a35b5ccb28 for sample code

File structure

- processor
  - HelloWorldProcessor.java
- test
  - META-INF
    - services
      - javax.annotation.processing.Processor
  - Anno.java
  - UseHelloWorld.java

Sources

* HelloWorldProcessor.java

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;
import java.util.Set;

import javax.annotation.processing.AbstractProcessor;
import javax.annotation.processing.Processor;
import javax.annotation.processing.RoundEnvironment;
import javax.annotation.processing.SupportedAnnotationTypes;
import javax.annotation.processing.SupportedSourceVersion;
import javax.lang.model.SourceVersion;
import javax.lang.model.element.TypeElement;
import javax.tools.FileObject;

@SupportedAnnotationTypes("*")
@SupportedSourceVersion(SourceVersion.RELEASE_8)
public class HelloWorldProcessor extends AbstractProcessor {

  @Override
  public boolean process(Set<? extends TypeElement> annotations, RoundEnvironment roundEnv) {
    if (!roundEnv.processingOver()) {
      try {
        FileObject resource = processingEnv.getFiler().createSourceFile("xdean.processor.HelloWorldMessage");
        PrintWriter ps = new PrintWriter(resource.openWriter());
        ps.println("public interface HelloWorldMessage { String HELLO_WORLD = \"Hello World\";}");
        ps.close();
      } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
      }
    }
    return false;
  }
}

* javax.annotation.processing.Processor

HelloWorldProcessor

* Anno.java

public @interface Anno {
  String value();
}

* UseHelloWorld.java
public class UseHelloWorld {
  public static final String HW = HelloWorldMessage.HELLO_WORLD;

  @Anno(UseHelloWorld.HW)
  public void bean() {
  }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Do not indirect use annotation processor generated constants.

FREQUENCY : always