Class ElementLabel

java.lang.Object
org.simpleframework.xml.core.TemplateLabel
org.simpleframework.xml.core.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:
  • Field Summary

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

    Modifier and Type
    Method
    Description
    This acquires the annotation associated with this label.
    This is used to acquire the contact object for this label.
    Creates a converter that can be used to transform an XML node to an object and vice versa.
    This is used to acquire the Decorator for this.
    getEmpty(Context context)
    This is used to provide a configured empty value used when the annotated value is null.
    This method is used to return an XPath expression that is used to represent the position of this label.
    This is used to acquire the name of the element or attribute that is used by the class schema.
    This is used to acquire the name of the element or attribute as taken from the annotation.
    This is used to acquire the path of the element or attribute that is used by the class schema.
    This acts as a convenience method used to determine the type of contact this represents.
    getType(Class type)
    This is used to acquire the Type that the type provided is represented by.
    boolean
    This is used to determine whether the annotation requires it and its children to be written as a CDATA block.
    boolean
    This is used to determine whether the XML element is required.
    This is used to describe the annotation and method or field that this label represents.

    Methods inherited from class org.simpleframework.xml.core.TemplateLabel

    getDependent, getEntry, getKey, getLabel, getNames, getPaths, isAttribute, isCollection, isInline, isText, isTextList, isUnion

    Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

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

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

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

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

      private 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 Details

    • 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 Details

    • getDecorator

      public Decorator getDecorator() throws 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:
      Exception
    • getType

      public Type getType(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 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:
      Exception
    • getEmpty

      public 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 String getName() throws 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:
      Exception
    • getPath

      public String getPath() throws 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:
      Exception
    • getExpression

      public Expression getExpression() throws 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:
      Exception
    • getAnnotation

      public 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 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 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 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 Object
      Returns:
      this returns a string representation of the label