How to increase the error limit of 100 errors on IntelliJ IDEA?

Question

I have an IntelliJ IDEA project but the compilation stops when it does encounter more than 100 errors and I would like to increase the limit in order to figure it out how much I do have to "refactor" the ancient code.

Answer 1

The 100 error limit you are seeing is not a limit of IntelliJ IDEA, per se, but is a default for the javac compiler that is being used to compile an application. After IDEA is using. the default number of errors, after is the default for the standard Sun/Oracle javaccompiler, but can be modified by passing an argument to the compiler; as can the maximum number of warnings, which also defaults to 100.

The online documentation for javac (e.g., the Java SE version 7 page at 'javac - Java programming language compiler'^†) gives these arguments (in the section "Options", under the sub-heading "Non-Standard Options") as follows:

-Xmaxerrs number
     Set the maximum number of errors to print.

-Xmaxwarns number
     Set the maximum number of warnings to print.

When using javac in IntelliJ IDEA^‡, these (and other) compiler arguments can be added by navigating to the settings for the project (e.g. F̲ile > Set̲tings or Ctrl+Alt+S); then, under the Project Settings heading, expand the ▼ Compiler section, select Java Compiler and enter the desired setting(s) into the text box following Additional command line parameters:. (e.g. to increase the limits to 123 errors and 456 warnings, enter -Xmaxerrs 123 -Xmaxwarns 456 into the textbox.)

 ^{† from http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/tools/windows/javac.html, retrieved 2014-07-31, Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6RTlsAI8T}

 ^{‡ this process was vetted on version 13, by shelleybutterfly, and version 12 by Nicolas Guillaume, but the process is likely very similar, if not the same, for other versions.}