diff -r 4936555f980a spi.java.hints/apichanges.xml
--- a/spi.java.hints/apichanges.xml	Wed Dec 12 14:25:26 2012 +0100
+++ b/spi.java.hints/apichanges.xml	Wed Dec 12 14:46:35 2012 +0100
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!--
 DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS HEADER.
 
 Copyright 2012 Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
@@ -45,6 +46,22 @@
         <apidef name="JavaHintsSPI">Java Hints SPI</apidef>
     </apidefs>
     <changes>
+        <change id="ErrorDescriptionFactory.forSpan">
+            <api name="JavaHintsSPI"/>
+            <summary>Introducing ErrorDescriptionFactory.forSpan.</summary>
+            <version major="1" minor="9"/>
+            <date day="19" month="12" year="2012"/>
+            <author login="jlahoda"/>
+            <compatibility addition="yes"/>
+            <description>
+                <p>
+                    Added ErrorDescriptionFactory.forSpan to create the correct
+                    Java-enhanced ErrorDescription from a span.
+                </p>    
+            </description>
+            <class package="org.netbeans.spi.java.hints" name="ErrorDescriptionFactory"/>
+            <issue number="223723"/>
+        </change>
         <change id="TransformationSupport">
             <api name="JavaHintsSPI"/>
             <summary>Added support for using jackpot patterns from other modules (e.g. refactoring).</summary>
diff -r 4936555f980a spi.java.hints/nbproject/project.properties
--- a/spi.java.hints/nbproject/project.properties	Wed Dec 12 14:25:26 2012 +0100
+++ b/spi.java.hints/nbproject/project.properties	Wed Dec 12 14:46:35 2012 +0100
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 is.autoload=true
 javac.source=1.6
 javac.compilerargs=-Xlint -Xlint:-serial
-spec.version.base=1.8.0
+spec.version.base=1.9.0
 requires.nb.javac=true
 javadoc.arch=${basedir}/arch.xml
+javadoc.apichanges=${basedir}/apichanges.xml
diff -r 4936555f980a spi.java.hints/src/org/netbeans/spi/java/hints/ErrorDescriptionFactory.java
--- a/spi.java.hints/src/org/netbeans/spi/java/hints/ErrorDescriptionFactory.java	Wed Dec 12 14:25:26 2012 +0100
+++ b/spi.java.hints/src/org/netbeans/spi/java/hints/ErrorDescriptionFactory.java	Wed Dec 12 14:46:35 2012 +0100
@@ -129,6 +129,31 @@
         return null;
     }
     
+    /**Create a new {@link ErrorDescription}. Severity is automatically inferred from the {@link HintContext},
+     * and the {@link ErrorDescription} is created to be consistent with {@link ErrorDescription}s created
+     * by the other factory methods in this class.
+     * 
+     * @param context from which the {@link Severity} and other properties are inferred.
+     * @param start start of the warning
+     * @param end end of the warning
+     * @param text the warning text
+     * @param fixes one or more {@link Fix}es to show shown to the user.
+     * @return a standard {@link ErrorDescription} for use in Java source
+     * @since 1.9
+     */
+    public static ErrorDescription forSpan(HintContext context, int start, int end, String text, Fix... fixes) {
+        if (context.getHintMetadata().kind != Hint.Kind.INSPECTION) {
+            start = end = context.getCaretLocation();
+        }
+
+        if (start != (-1) && end != (-1)) {
+            LazyFixList fixesForED = org.netbeans.spi.editor.hints.ErrorDescriptionFactory.lazyListForFixes(resolveDefaultFixes(context, fixes));
+            return org.netbeans.spi.editor.hints.ErrorDescriptionFactory.createErrorDescription("text/x-java:" + context.getHintMetadata().id, context.getSeverity(), text, context.getHintMetadata().description, fixesForED, context.getInfo().getFileObject(), start, end);
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+    
     public static ErrorDescription forName(HintContext context, TreePath tree, String text, Fix... fixes) {
         return forName(context, tree.getLeaf(), text, fixes);
     }