Question

How do I write links into javadocs?

Currently, I have something like:

{@link java.lang.Math#sqrt(double) Math.sqrt} 

to produce the text Math.sqrt that should link to the java.lang.Math.sqrt(double) API, however, all it does is produce the text, no link.

Answer 1

To get a link to something external to your code, you need use the -linkoffline option

where the -linkoffline option has the format something like this (artificially wrapped):

-linkoffline http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/              http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/ 

This tells the JavaDoc tool where to find the link to the JavaDoc and for what packages to use that link. From the 2nd URL, it will append ‘package-list’ to load the actual URL:

http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/package-list

which you can verify by loading it in a browser does contain the list of packages documented at that JavaDoc URL. This tells the JavaDoc tool that any @link references to anything in one of those packages should link to the provided URL.