org.apache.uima.cas
Interface TypeSystem

All Known Subinterfaces:

TypeSystemMgr

public interface TypeSystem

The interface to the type system. Used to access information about existing types and features using their String identifiers. This is a pure access interface. Types and features are defined using Component Descriptors, written in XML.

Get the type system from a CAS object with getTypeSystem().

There are a few methods to list the existing types in a type system. Information about which feature is appropriate for which type is available through the Type and Feature classes.

Field Summary

static char	FEATURE_SEPARATOR This is the character that separates a type name from a feature name.
static char	NAMESPACE_SEPARATOR This is the character that separates name spaces.

Method Summary

Type	getArrayType(Type componentType) Obtain an array type with component type componentType.
Vector<Type>	getDirectlySubsumedTypes(Type type) Deprecated. Use getDirectSubtypes(Type) instead.
List<Type>	getDirectSubtypes(Type type) Get a List of the types directly subsumed by a given type.
Feature	getFeatureByFullName(String featureName) Get a feature object for a given name.
Iterator<Feature>	getFeatures() Get a list of features, in no particular order.
org.apache.uima.cas.impl.LowLevelTypeSystem	getLowLevelTypeSystem() Return the low-level view of this type system.
Type	getParent(Type type) Get the parent type for input type.
List<Type>	getProperlySubsumedTypes(Type type) Return the list of all types subsumed by the input type.
Type	getTopType() Get the top type, i.e., the root of the type system.
Type	getType(String typeName) Get a type object for a given type name.
Iterator<Type>	getTypeIterator() Get an iterator over all types, in no particular order.
TypeNameSpace	getTypeNameSpace(String name) Create a type name space object for the name parameter.
boolean	subsumes(Type superType, Type subType) Does one type inherit from the other?

Field Detail

FEATURE_SEPARATOR

static final char FEATURE_SEPARATOR

This is the character that separates a type name from a feature name. Ex.: uima.cas.Annotation:begin.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

NAMESPACE_SEPARATOR

static final char NAMESPACE_SEPARATOR

This is the character that separates name spaces. Ex.: uima.cas.Annotation

See Also:

Constant Field Values

Method Detail

getType

Type getType(String typeName)

Get a type object for a given type name. See documentation on type names.

Parameters:

typeName - The name of the type.

Returns:

A type object, or null if no such type exists.

getArrayType

Type getArrayType(Type componentType)

Obtain an array type with component type componentType.

Parameters:

componentType - The type of the elements of the resulting array type. This can be any type, even another array type.

Returns:

The array type with the corresponding component type.

getFeatureByFullName

Feature getFeatureByFullName(String featureName)

Get a feature object for a given name. See documentation on feature names.

Parameters:

featureName - The fully qualified name of the feature.

Returns:

An feature object, or null if no such feature exists.

getTypeIterator

Iterator<Type> getTypeIterator()

Get an iterator over all types, in no particular order.

Returns:

The iterator.

getTopType

Type getTopType()

Get the top type, i.e., the root of the type system.

Returns:

The top type.

getDirectlySubsumedTypes

@Deprecated
Vector<Type> getDirectlySubsumedTypes(Type type)

Deprecated. Use getDirectSubtypes(Type) instead.

Get a vector of the types directly subsumed by a given type.

Parameters:

type - The input type.

Returns:

A vector of the directly subsumed types.

getDirectSubtypes

List<Type> getDirectSubtypes(Type type)

Get a List of the types directly subsumed by a given type.

Parameters:

type - The input type.

Returns:

A List of the directly subsumed types.

getProperlySubsumedTypes

List<Type> getProperlySubsumedTypes(Type type)

Return the list of all types subsumed by the input type. Note: the list does not include the type itself.

Parameters:

type - Input type.

Returns:

The list of types subsumed by type.

getParent

Type getParent(Type type)

Get the parent type for input type.

Parameters:

type - The type we want to know the parent of.

Returns:

The parent type, or null for the top type.

subsumes

boolean subsumes(Type superType,
                 Type subType)

Does one type inherit from the other?

Parameters:

superType - Supertype.

subType - Subtype.

Returns:

true iff sub inherits from super.

getFeatures

Iterator<Feature> getFeatures()

Get a list of features, in no particular order.

Returns:

An iterator over the features.

getTypeNameSpace

TypeNameSpace getTypeNameSpace(String name)

Create a type name space object for the name parameter.

Parameters:

name - The name of the name space.

Returns:

A TypeNameSpace object corresponding to name, or null, if name is not a legal type name space identifier.

getLowLevelTypeSystem

org.apache.uima.cas.impl.LowLevelTypeSystem getLowLevelTypeSystem()

Return the low-level view of this type system.

Returns:

The LowLevelTypeSystem version of this type system.