How do I flag a function as being deprecated in an iPhone Objective C header file?

Question

Hey guys,

Does any one know how to do this?

I'm guessing there's just some keyword I can stick after the function somewhere?

EDIT: I would like for a compiler warning to be generated should anyone try and use the deprecated function, similar to the behavior seen in Apple's APIs.

Cheers! Nick.

Answer 1

From Apple's SFAuthorization.h:

/*!
DEPRECATED: Use obtainWithRight:flags:error:
@method permitWithRight:flags:
@abstract Call permitWithRight to gain a right to have
          access to a privilege operation.
@param rightName The name of an authorization right.
@param flags Authorization flags.
*/
- (OSStatus)permitWithRight:(AuthorizationString)rightName
                      flags:(AuthorizationFlags)flags;

If you're not using an automated documentation builder I'd say something like this is enough:

- (void)doSomething;           /* DEPRECATED */

Answer 2

Try appending an attribute to your function definition:

- (void)fooBar __attribute__ ((deprecated));

Taken from here.

Answer 3

You could also follow the HeaderDoc manual. Where this syntax is used:

/*!
 * @abstract Foo is good for bar.
 *
 * @deprecated in version 2.0
 */

Answer 4

Tim's answer will actually produce a compiler warning; the other versions are merely comments which have no effect w.r.t. the compiler.

If you look at /usr/include/AvailabilityMacros.h, you'll see how Apple does this. That header uses __attribute__((deprecated)) and __attribute__((unavailable)) depending on whether the API is present but deprecated, or has actually been removed from the OS.