org.eclipse.higgins.idas.api
Interface IAttribute

All Superinterfaces:

IHasAttributes

All Known Subinterfaces:

ISingleValuedAttribute

public interface IAttribute
extends IHasAttributes

As defined at (TODO (Doc): add reference), This interface represents an attribute of an Entity.

An attribute is a typed set of values. When the attribute's model dictates that it is single-valued isSingleValued() then this object may be cast to an ISingleValuedAttribute

This extends IHasAttributes so that metadata about the attribute may be presented as attributes on this attribute.

Method Summary

IEntity	addComplexValue(String entityID) Add a reference to the entity with passed entityId.
IEntity	addComplexValue(URI type) Creates a new complex value for this attribute.
ISimpleValue	addSimpleValue(URI dataType, Object data) Creates a new simple value for this attribute.
IValue	addValue(IValue copyFrom) Creates a new value for this attribute by copying the passed IValue If passed value is not blank entity (has not null entityId), a reference to this entity is created.
IValue	addValue(URI dataType) Creates a new value for this attribute.
IAttributeModel	getModel() Returns a model of this type of attribute as it defined in the context's schema.
URI	getType() Returns the attribute type of this attribute as a URI.
Iterator	getValues() Returns all values for this attribute.
Iterator	getValues(IExtension[] extensions) Returns all values for this attribute.
boolean	isSingleValued() Convenience method which returns true when the model for this attribute dictates that only a single value may exist.
void	remove() Removes all values of this attribute.

Methods inherited from interface org.eclipse.higgins.idas.api.IHasAttributes

addAttribute, addAttribute, addAttributeValue, getAttribute, getAttributes, getSingleValuedAttribute, removeAttribute, removeAttributeValue, removeAttributeValue

Method Detail

getType

URI getType()
            throws IdASException

Returns the attribute type of this attribute as a URI.

From this URI, a consumer should be able to derive some kind of human-readable identifier (such as "age", "title", "employeeNumber", etc.).

This attribute type is used to distinguish this attribute from other attributes within a collection of attributes. Note that IModel.getType() will return the same URI that this method returns.

Throws:

IdASException

getValues

Iterator getValues()
                   throws IdASException

Returns all values for this attribute.

Returns:

an Iterator of IValues

Throws:

IdASException

getValues

Iterator getValues(IExtension[] extensions)
                   throws IdASException

Returns all values for this attribute.

Parameters:

extensions - may be null. One or more extensions valid for this operation.

Returns:

an Iterator of IValues

Throws:

IdASException

addValue

IValue addValue(URI dataType)
                throws IdASException,
                       InvalidTypeException

Creates a new value for this attribute. This method is useful when the caller doesn't know whether the URI specified in the dataType param will build an ITypedValue or IEntity. Otherwise callers will typically call addSimpleValue(URI, Object) or addComplexValue(URI) This call is typically followed by a call to IValue.isSimple() on the returned IValue. When found to be an ISimpleValue, ITypedValue.setData(Object) is typically called on the returned IValue (cast as an ISimpleValue). When found to be an IEntity, one typically calls IHasAttributes.addAttribute(URI) on the returned IValue (cast as an IEntity or IHasAttributes). Note: This operation is only applied to any backing data store after IContext.applyUpdates() is called.

Parameters:

dataType - The URI specifying the data type of Value being created

Throws:

{@link - IdASException}

{@link - InvalidTypeException} when the type is invalid

IdASException

InvalidTypeException

addValue

IValue addValue(IValue copyFrom)
                throws IdASException

Creates a new value for this attribute by copying the passed IValue If passed value is not blank entity (has not null entityId), a reference to this entity is created. Note: This operation is only applied to any backing data store after IContext.applyUpdates() is called.

Parameters:

copyFrom - The IValue from which data is copied to create the returned IValue

Throws:

{@link - IdASException}

IdASException

addSimpleValue

ISimpleValue addSimpleValue(URI dataType,
                            Object data)
                            throws IdASException,
                                   InvalidTypeException

Creates a new simple value for this attribute. Note: This operation is only applied to any backing data store after IContext.applyUpdates() is called.

Parameters:

dataType - The URI specifying the type of Value being created

data - The data of the attribute value

Throws:

{@link - IdASException}

{@link - InvalidTypeException} when the type is invalid

IdASException

InvalidTypeException

addComplexValue

IEntity addComplexValue(URI type)
                        throws IdASException,
                               InvalidTypeException

Creates a new complex value for this attribute. This call is typically followed by one or more calls to IHasAttributes.addAttribute(java.net.URI) on the returned IEntity. Note: This operation is only applied to any backing data store after IContext.applyUpdates() is called.

Parameters:

type - The URI specifying the type of complex value being created

Throws:

{@link - IdASException}

{@link - InvalidTypeException} when the type is invalid

IdASException

InvalidTypeException

addComplexValue

IEntity addComplexValue(String entityID)
                        throws IdASException,
                               InvalidTypeException

Add a reference to the entity with passed entityId. The same as IAttribute#addValue(IValue

Parameters:

entityID -

Returns:

Throws:

IdASException

InvalidTypeException

remove

void remove()
            throws IdASException

Removes all values of this attribute. Note: This operation is only applied to any backing data store after IContext.applyUpdates() is called.

Throws:

{@link - IdASException}

IdASException

getModel

IAttributeModel getModel()
                         throws IdASException

Returns a model of this type of attribute as it defined in the context's schema. The returned model could be used to analyze the attribute's type and discover what its value model is.

Returns:

a model of this type of attribute

Throws:

IdASException

isSingleValued

boolean isSingleValued()
                       throws IdASException

Convenience method which returns true when the model for this attribute dictates that only a single value may exist. This is analogous to calling

 (myAttribute.getModel().getMaxCardinality() == 1) 
 

Returns:

boolean. When true, this object may be cast to an ISingleValuedAttribute

Throws:

IdASException