Class TextListLabel

  • All Implemented Interfaces:
    Label

    class TextListLabel
    extends TemplateLabel
    The TextListLabel object is used to create a label that will create a converter used to read free text. Free text is text that exists between elements. An ElementListUnion can be declared to consume text that exists between the individual elements by declaring a Text annotation with it. In such a declaration unstructured text can be processed.
    See Also:
    GroupExtractor
    • Field Summary

      Fields 
      Modifier and Type Field Description
      private java.lang.String empty
      This is the empty value that is declared for the annotation.
      private Label label
      This is the element list union label that is declared with this.
      private Text text
      This is the text annotation declaration on the element list.
    • Constructor Summary

      Constructors 
      Constructor Description
      TextListLabel​(Label label, Text text)
      Constructor for the TextListLabel object.
    • Method Summary

      All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods 
      Modifier and Type Method Description
      java.lang.annotation.Annotation getAnnotation()
      This acquires the annotation associated with this label.
      Contact getContact()
      This is used to acquire the contact object for this label.
      Converter getConverter​(Context context)
      This method returns a Converter which can be used to convert an XML node into an object value and vice versa.
      Decorator getDecorator()
      This is used to acquire the Decorator for this.
      Type getDependent()
      This is used to acquire the dependent class for this label.
      java.lang.String getEmpty​(Context context)
      This is used to provide a configured empty value used when the annotated value is null.
      java.lang.String getEntry()
      This is typically used to acquire the entry value as acquired from the annotation.
      Expression getExpression()
      This method is used to return an XPath expression that is used to represent the position of this label.
      java.lang.Object getKey()
      This is the key used to represent this label.
      java.lang.String getName()
      This is used to acquire the name of the element or attribute that is used by the class schema.
      java.lang.String[] getNames()
      This returns a Collection of element names.
      java.lang.String getOverride()
      This is used to acquire the name of the element or attribute as taken from the annotation.
      java.lang.String getPath()
      This is used to acquire the path of the element or attribute that is used by the class schema.
      java.lang.String[] getPaths()
      This returns a Collection of element paths.
      java.lang.Class getType()
      This acts as a convenience method used to determine the type of the field this represents.
      boolean isCollection()
      This is used to determine if the label is a collection.
      boolean isData()
      This is used to determine whether the annotation requires it and its children to be written as a CDATA block.
      boolean isInline()
      This is used to determine whether the label represents an inline XML entity.
      boolean isRequired()
      Determines whether the XML attribute or element is required.
      boolean isTextList()
      This is used to determine if an annotated list is a text list.
      java.lang.String toString()
      This is used to create a string used to represent this text list label.
      • Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

        clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait
    • Field Detail

      • empty

        private final java.lang.String empty
        This is the empty value that is declared for the annotation.
      • label

        private final Label label
        This is the element list union label that is declared with this.
      • text

        private final Text text
        This is the text annotation declaration on the element list.
    • Constructor Detail

      • TextListLabel

        public TextListLabel​(Label label,
                             Text text)
        Constructor for the TextListLabel object. This is used to create a label used for reading free text declared between the elements of an element list union. Such a label enables serialization and deserialization of unstructured XML.
        Parameters:
        label - this is the label that is declared with this
        text - this is the text annotation delcaration
    • Method Detail

      • getDecorator

        public Decorator getDecorator()
                               throws java.lang.Exception
        This is used to acquire the Decorator for this. A decorator is an object that adds various details to the node without changing the overall structure of the node. For example comments and namespaces can be added to the node with a decorator as they do not affect the deserialization.
        Returns:
        this returns the decorator associated with this
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getNames

        public java.lang.String[] getNames()
                                    throws java.lang.Exception
        This returns a Collection of element names. This will typically contain both the name and path of the label. However, if this is a union it can contain many names and paths. This method should never return null.
        Specified by:
        getNames in interface Label
        Overrides:
        getNames in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        this returns the names of each of the elements
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getPaths

        public java.lang.String[] getPaths()
                                    throws java.lang.Exception
        This returns a Collection of element paths. This will typically contain only the path of the label, which is composed using the Path annotation and the name of the label. However, if this is a union it can contain many paths. This method should never return null.
        Specified by:
        getPaths in interface Label
        Overrides:
        getPaths in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        this returns the names of each of the elements
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getEmpty

        public java.lang.String getEmpty​(Context context)
                                  throws java.lang.Exception
        This is used to provide a configured empty value used when the annotated value is null. This ensures that XML can be created with required details regardless of whether values are null or not. It also provides a means for sensible default values.
        Parameters:
        context - this is the context object for the serialization
        Returns:
        this returns the string to use for default values
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getConverter

        public Converter getConverter​(Context context)
                               throws java.lang.Exception
        This method returns a Converter which can be used to convert an XML node into an object value and vice versa. The converter requires only the context object in order to perform serialization or deserialization of the provided XML node.
        Parameters:
        context - this is the context object for the serialization
        Returns:
        this returns an object that is used for conversion
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getName

        public java.lang.String getName()
                                 throws java.lang.Exception
        This is used to acquire the name of the element or attribute that is used by the class schema. The name is determined by checking for an override within the annotation. If it contains a name then that is used, if however the annotation does not specify a name the the field or method name is used instead.
        Returns:
        returns the name that is used for the XML property
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getPath

        public java.lang.String getPath()
                                 throws java.lang.Exception
        This is used to acquire the path of the element or attribute that is used by the class schema. The path is determined by acquiring the XPath expression and appending the name of the label to form a fully qualified path.
        Returns:
        returns the path that is used for the XML property
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getExpression

        public Expression getExpression()
                                 throws java.lang.Exception
        This method is used to return an XPath expression that is used to represent the position of this label. If there is no XPath expression associated with this then an empty path is returned. This will never return a null expression.
        Returns:
        the XPath expression identifying the location
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getDependent

        public Type getDependent()
                          throws java.lang.Exception
        This is used to acquire the dependent class for this label. This returns null as there are no dependents to the element annotation as it can only hold primitives with no dependents.
        Specified by:
        getDependent in interface Label
        Overrides:
        getDependent in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        this is used to return the dependent type of null
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getEntry

        public java.lang.String getEntry()
                                  throws java.lang.Exception
        This is typically used to acquire the entry value as acquired from the annotation. However given that the annotation this represents does not have a entry attribute this will always provide a null value for the entry string.
        Specified by:
        getEntry in interface Label
        Overrides:
        getEntry in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        this will always return null for the entry value
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getKey

        public java.lang.Object getKey()
                                throws java.lang.Exception
        This is the key used to represent this label. The key is used to store the parameter in hash containers. Typically the key is generated from the paths associated with the label.
        Specified by:
        getKey in interface Label
        Overrides:
        getKey in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        this is the key used to represent the label
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getAnnotation

        public java.lang.annotation.Annotation getAnnotation()
        This acquires the annotation associated with this label. This is typically the annotation acquired from the field or method. However, in the case of unions this will return the actual annotation within the union group that this represents.
        Returns:
        this returns the annotation that this represents
      • getContact

        public Contact getContact()
        This is used to acquire the contact object for this label. The contact retrieved can be used to set any object or primitive that has been deserialized, and can also be used to acquire values to be serialized in the case of object persistence. All contacts that are retrieved from this method will be accessible.
        Returns:
        returns the field that this label is representing
      • getType

        public java.lang.Class getType()
        This acts as a convenience method used to determine the type of the field this represents. This is used when an object is written to XML. It determines whether a class attribute is required within the serialized XML element, that is, if the class returned by this is different from the actual value of the object to be serialized then that type needs to be remembered.
        Returns:
        this returns the type of the field class
      • getOverride

        public java.lang.String getOverride()
        This is used to acquire the name of the element or attribute as taken from the annotation. If the element or attribute explicitly specifies a name then that name is used for the XML element or attribute used. If however no overriding name is provided then the method or field is used for the name.
        Returns:
        returns the name of the annotation for the contact
      • isData

        public boolean isData()
        This is used to determine whether the annotation requires it and its children to be written as a CDATA block. This is done when a primitive or other such element requires a text value and that value needs to be encapsulated within a CDATA block.
        Returns:
        this returns true if the element requires CDATA
      • isRequired

        public boolean isRequired()
        Determines whether the XML attribute or element is required. This ensures that if an XML element is missing from a document that deserialization can continue. Also, in the process of serialization, if a value is null it does not need to be written to the resulting XML document.
        Returns:
        true if the label represents a some required data
      • isCollection

        public boolean isCollection()
        This is used to determine if the label is a collection. If the label represents a collection then any original assignment to the field or method can be written to without the need to create a new collection. This allows obscure collections to be used and also allows initial entries to be maintained.
        Specified by:
        isCollection in interface Label
        Overrides:
        isCollection in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        true if the label represents a collection value
      • isInline

        public boolean isInline()
        This is used to determine whether the label represents an inline XML entity. The ElementList annotation and the Text annotation represent inline items. This means that they contain no containing element and so can not specify overrides or special attributes.
        Specified by:
        isInline in interface Label
        Overrides:
        isInline in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        this returns true if the annotation is inline
      • isTextList

        public boolean isTextList()
        This is used to determine if an annotated list is a text list. A text list is a list of elements that also accepts free text. Typically this will be an element list union that will allow unstructured XML such as XHTML to be parsed.
        Specified by:
        isTextList in interface Label
        Overrides:
        isTextList in class TemplateLabel
        Returns:
        returns true if the label represents a text list
      • toString

        public java.lang.String toString()
        This is used to create a string used to represent this text list label. This will basically create a string representing the other label in addition to the Text label.
        Specified by:
        toString in interface Label
        Overrides:
        toString in class java.lang.Object
        Returns:
        this is used to build a string for the list label