Eclipse Platform
2.0

org.eclipse.core.runtime
Interface IConfigurationElement


public interface IConfigurationElement

A configuration element, with its attributes and children, directly reflects the content and structure of the extension section within the declaring plug-in's manifest (plugin.xml) file.

This interface also provides a way to create executable extension objects.

This interface is not intended to be implemented by clients.


Method Summary
 Object createExecutableExtension(String propertyName)
          Creates and returns a new instance of the executable extension identified by the named attribute of this configuration element.
 String getAttribute(String name)
          Returns the named attribute of this configuration element, or null if none.
 String getAttributeAsIs(String name)
          Returns the named attribute of this configuration element, or null if none.
 String[] getAttributeNames()
          Returns the names of the attributes of this configuration element.
 IConfigurationElement[] getChildren()
          Returns all configuration elements that are children of this configuration element.
 IConfigurationElement[] getChildren(String name)
          Returns all child configuration elements with the given name.
 IExtension getDeclaringExtension()
          Returns the extension that declares this configuration element.
 String getName()
          Returns the name of this configuration element.
 String getValue()
          Returns the text value of this configuration element.
 String getValueAsIs()
          Returns the untranslated text value of this configuration element.
 

Method Detail

createExecutableExtension

public Object createExecutableExtension(String propertyName)
                                 throws CoreException
Creates and returns a new instance of the executable extension identified by the named attribute of this configuration element. The named attribute value must contain a fully qualified name of a Java class implementing the executable extension.

The specified class is instantiated using its 0-argument public constructor. If the specified class implements the IExecutableExtension interface, the method setInitializationData is called, passing to the object the configuration information that was used to create it.

Unlike other methods on this object, invoking this method may activate the plug-in.

Parameters:
propertyName - the name of the property
Returns:
the executable instance
Throws:
CoreException - if an instance of the executable extension could not be created for any reason.
See Also:
IExecutableExtension.setInitializationData(org.eclipse.core.runtime.IConfigurationElement, java.lang.String, java.lang.Object)

getAttribute

public String getAttribute(String name)
Returns the named attribute of this configuration element, or null if none.

The names of configuration element attributes are the same as the attribute names of the corresponding XML element. For example, the configuration markup

 <bg pattern="stripes"/>
 
corresponds to a configuration element named "bg" with an attribute named "pattern" with attribute value "stripes".

Note that any translation specified in the plug-in manifest file is automatically applied.

Parameters:
name - the name of the attribute
Returns:
attribute value, or null if none
See Also:
IPluginDescriptor.getResourceString(java.lang.String)

getAttributeAsIs

public String getAttributeAsIs(String name)
Returns the named attribute of this configuration element, or null if none.

The names of configuration element attributes are the same as the attribute names of the corresponding XML element. For example, the configuration markup

 <bg pattern="stripes"/>
 
corresponds to a configuration element named "bg" with an attribute named "pattern" with attribute value "stripes".

Note that any translation specified in the plug-in manifest file for this attribute is not automatically applied.

Parameters:
name - the name of the attribute
Returns:
attribute value, or null if none

getAttributeNames

public String[] getAttributeNames()
Returns the names of the attributes of this configuration element. Returns an empty array if this configuration element has no attributes.

The names of configuration element attributes are the same as the attribute names of the corresponding XML element. For example, the configuration markup

 <bg color="blue" pattern="stripes"/>
 
corresponds to a configuration element named "bg" with attributes named "color" and "pattern".

Returns:
the names of the attributes

getChildren

public IConfigurationElement[] getChildren()
Returns all configuration elements that are children of this configuration element. Returns an empty array if this configuration element has no children.

Each child corresponds to a nested XML element in the configuration markup. For example, the configuration markup

 <view>
     <verticalHint>top</verticalHint>
     <horizontalHint>left</horizontalHint>
 </view>
 
corresponds to a configuration element, named "view", with two children.

Returns:
the child configuration elements

getChildren

public IConfigurationElement[] getChildren(String name)
Returns all child configuration elements with the given name. Returns an empty array if this configuration element has no children with the given name.

Parameters:
name - the name of the child configuration element
Returns:
the child configuration elements with that name
See Also:
getChildren()

getDeclaringExtension

public IExtension getDeclaringExtension()
Returns the extension that declares this configuration element.

Returns:
the extension

getName

public String getName()
Returns the name of this configuration element. The name of a configuration element is the same as the XML tag of the corresponding XML element. For example, the configuration markup
 <wizard name="Create Project"/> 
 
corresponds to a configuration element named "wizard".

Returns:
the name of this configuration element

getValue

public String getValue()
Returns the text value of this configuration element. For example, the configuration markup
 <script lang="javascript">.\scripts\cp.js</script>
 
corresponds to a configuration element "script" with value ".\scripts\cp.js".

Values may span multiple lines (i.e., contain carriage returns and/or line feeds).

Note that any translation specified in the plug-in manifest file is automatically applied.

Returns:
the text value of this configuration element or null
See Also:
IPluginDescriptor.getResourceString(java.lang.String)

getValueAsIs

public String getValueAsIs()
Returns the untranslated text value of this configuration element. For example, the configuration markup
 <script lang="javascript">.\scripts\cp.js</script>
 
corresponds to a configuration element "script" with value ".\scripts\cp.js".

Values may span multiple lines (i.e., contain carriage returns and/or line feeds).

Note that translation specified in the plug-in manifest file is not automatically applied. For example, the configuration markup

 <tooltip>#hattip</tooltip>
 
corresponds to a configuration element, named "tooltip", with value "#hattip".

Returns:
the untranslated text value of this configuration element or null

Eclipse Platform
2.0

Copyright (c) IBM Corp. and others 2000, 2002. All Rights Reserved.