Class ElementLabel

  • All Implemented Interfaces:
    Label

    class ElementLabel
    extends TemplateLabel
    The ElementLabel represents a label that is used to represent an XML element in a class schema. This element can be used to convert an XML node into either a primitive value such as a string or composite object value, which is itself a schema for a section of XML within the XML document.
    See Also:
    Element
    • Field Summary

      Fields 
      Modifier and Type Field Description
      private Expression cache
      This is a cache of the expression for this element.
      private boolean data
      This is used to determine if the element is data.
      private Decorator decorator
      This is the decorator that is associated with the element.
      private Introspector detail
      The contact that this element label represents.
      private java.lang.Class expect
      This is the expected type that has been declared for this.
      private Format format
      This is the format used to style this element label.
      private Element label
      References the annotation that was used by the field.
      private java.lang.String name
      This is the name of the XML element from the annotation.
      private java.lang.String override
      This is the name of the element for this label instance.
      private java.lang.String path
      This is the path of the XML element from the annotation.
      private boolean required
      This is used to determine if the element is required.
      private java.lang.Class type
      This is the type of the class that the field references.
    • Constructor Summary

      Constructors 
      Constructor Description
      ElementLabel​(Contact contact, Element label, Format format)
      Constructor for the ElementLabel 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)
      Creates a converter that can be used to transform an XML node to an object and vice versa.
      Decorator getDecorator()
      This is used to acquire the Decorator for this.
      java.lang.Object getEmpty​(Context context)
      This is used to provide a configured empty value used when the annotated value is null.
      Expression getExpression()
      This method is used to return an XPath expression that is used to represent the position of 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 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.Class getType()
      This acts as a convenience method used to determine the type of contact this represents.
      Type getType​(java.lang.Class type)
      This is used to acquire the Type that the type provided is represented by.
      boolean isData()
      This is used to determine whether the annotation requires it and its children to be written as a CDATA block.
      boolean isRequired()
      This is used to determine whether the XML element is required.
      java.lang.String toString()
      This is used to describe the annotation and method or field that this label represents.
      • Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

      • decorator

        private Decorator decorator
        This is the decorator that is associated with the element.
      • detail

        private Introspector detail
        The contact that this element label represents.
      • cache

        private Expression cache
        This is a cache of the expression for this element.
      • label

        private Element label
        References the annotation that was used by the field.
      • format

        private Format format
        This is the format used to style this element label.
      • override

        private java.lang.String override
        This is the name of the element for this label instance.
      • path

        private java.lang.String path
        This is the path of the XML element from the annotation.
      • name

        private java.lang.String name
        This is the name of the XML element from the annotation.
      • expect

        private java.lang.Class expect
        This is the expected type that has been declared for this.
      • type

        private java.lang.Class type
        This is the type of the class that the field references.
      • required

        private boolean required
        This is used to determine if the element is required.
      • data

        private boolean data
        This is used to determine if the element is data.
    • Constructor Detail

      • ElementLabel

        public ElementLabel​(Contact contact,
                            Element label,
                            Format format)
        Constructor for the ElementLabel object. This is used to create a label that can convert a XML node into a composite object or a primitive type from an XML element.
        Parameters:
        contact - this is the field that this label represents
        label - this is the annotation for the contact
        format - this is the format used to style this element
    • 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
      • getType

        public Type getType​(java.lang.Class type)
        This is used to acquire the Type that the type provided is represented by. Typically this will return the field or method represented by the label. However, in the case of unions this will provide an override type.
        Specified by:
        getType in interface Label
        Overrides:
        getType in class TemplateLabel
        Parameters:
        type - this is the class to acquire the type for
        Returns:
        this returns the type represented by this class
      • getConverter

        public Converter getConverter​(Context context)
                               throws java.lang.Exception
        Creates a converter that can be used to transform an XML node to an object and vice versa. The converter created will handles only XML elements and requires the context object to be provided.
        Parameters:
        context - this is the context object used for serialization
        Returns:
        this returns a converter for serializing XML elements
        Throws:
        java.lang.Exception
      • getEmpty

        public java.lang.Object getEmpty​(Context context)
        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
      • 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
      • 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 contact that this label is representing
      • 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
      • getType

        public java.lang.Class getType()
        This acts as a convenience method used to determine the type of contact 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 contact class
      • isRequired

        public boolean isRequired()
        This is used to determine whether the XML 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
      • 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
      • toString

        public java.lang.String toString()
        This is used to describe the annotation and method or field that this label represents. This is used to provide error messages that can be used to debug issues that occur when processing a method. This will provide enough information such that the problem can be isolated correctly.
        Specified by:
        toString in interface Label
        Overrides:
        toString in class java.lang.Object
        Returns:
        this returns a string representation of the label