This parameter is an analog of `-group` option provided by the Standard Doclet. It allows you to separates packages on the overview page into whatever groups you specify, one group per table.

The parameter accepts multiple (list) value. Each value item specifies a single package group.

## Specifying Package Group

A package group is specified as follows:

  `packagepattern1:packagepattern2:...::groupheading`

where

- packagepattern ${include ../refs/package_pattern.htm}
- groupheading can be any text (including white spaces). This text is placed in the table heading for the group

Example:

  `java.*:javax.*::This is a title`

## Specifying Multiple Package Groups

Different package groups should be specified with separate items of the whole parameter value. Each value item should define a single group as described above. The items must be separated with one of the allowed item separators (newline or `';'`).

Example:

  `java.awt.*:javax.swing.*::Java GUI API
  org.w3c.*::W3C API`

or the same as a single line:

  `java.awt.*:javax.swing.*::Java GUI API;org.w3c.*::W3C API`

The last form can be used to specify both groups on the Javadoc command line:

  `-p:gen.overview.packages.groups "java.awt.*:javax.swing.*::Java GUI API;org.w3c.*::W3C API"`

(Note: Because here the full parameter value contains spaces, it is enclosed in quotes to have it treated as a single command-line argument.)

The same can be also specified with two `-p` options:

  `-p:gen.overview.packages.groups "java.awt.*:javax.swing.*::Java GUI API" -p:gen.overview.packages.groups "org.w3c.*::W3C API"`

Each `-p` option adds a separate value item to the `'gen.overview.packages.groups'` parameter.

Using Escapes

Each character that serves as a value item separator can be equally used within the value item if escaped with a backslash. If a backslash is not consumed by an escape it will be remained in the text as is. To make sure that a backslash is not part of some escape, you may add another backslash.

For example, a package group with the title:

  `The API to process ';' and '\' in text`

can be specified like this:

  `textmill.semicolon.*:textmill.slash.*::The API to process '\;' and '\\' in text`

## Sorting Order

The groups appear on the page in the order of the parameter's value items specifying each group (i.e. in the same order as the package groups are specified on the command line). The packages are alphabetized within a group.

## Packages Outside Groups

If you specify no package groups (the parameter value is empty), all packages are placed in one group with the heading "Packages".

If the all groups do not include all documented packages, any leftover packages appear in a separate group with the heading "Other Packages", which is printed the last.

## Default Value

The default value of this parameter is produced from all `-group` options found on the Javadoc command line. Each `-group` option is converted to a single value item of this parameter.

So, you can use Standard Doclet's `-group` options instead of specifying this parameter directly.

${include ../refs/standard_doclet_options.htm}