org.apache.uima.resource.metadata
Interface TypeDescription

All Superinterfaces:

Cloneable, MetaDataObject, Serializable, XMLizable

public interface TypeDescription
extends MetaDataObject

A description of a CAS Type. This implements MetaDataObject, which implements XMLizable, so it can be serialized to and deserialized from an XML element.

Method Summary

FeatureDescription	addFeature(String aFeatureName, String aDescription, String aRangeTypeName) Convenience method which adds a FeatureDescription to this TypeDescription.
FeatureDescription	addFeature(String aFeatureName, String aDescription, String aRangeTypeName, String aElementTypeName, Boolean aMultipleReferencesAllowed) Convenience method which adds a FeatureDescription to this TypeDescription.
AllowedValue[]	getAllowedValues() Gets the allowed values for instances of this Type.
String	getDescription() Gets the verbose description of this Type.
FeatureDescription[]	getFeatures() Gets the descriptions of the features for this Type.
String	getName() Gets the name of this Type.
String	getSupertypeName() Gets the name of the supertype for this Type.
void	setAllowedValues(AllowedValue[] aAllowedValues) Sets the allowed values for instances of this Type.
void	setDescription(String aDescription) Sets the verbose description of this Type.
void	setFeatures(FeatureDescription[] aFeatures) Sets the descriptions of the features for this Type.
void	setName(String aName) Sets the name of this Type.
void	setSupertypeName(String aTypeName) Sets the name of the supertype for this Type.

Methods inherited from interface org.apache.uima.resource.metadata.MetaDataObject

clone, equals, getAttributeValue, getSourceUrl, getSourceUrlString, isModifiable, listAttributes, setAttributeValue, setSourceUrl

Methods inherited from interface org.apache.uima.util.XMLizable

buildFromXMLElement, buildFromXMLElement, toXML, toXML, toXML, toXML

Method Detail

getName

String getName()

Gets the name of this Type.

Returns:

the name of this Type

setName

void setName(String aName)

Sets the name of this Type.

Parameters:

aName - the name of this Type

getDescription

String getDescription()

Gets the verbose description of this Type.

Returns:

the description of this Type

setDescription

void setDescription(String aDescription)

Sets the verbose description of this Type.

Parameters:

aDescription - the description of this Type

getSupertypeName

String getSupertypeName()

Gets the name of the supertype for this Type. This is the Type from which this Type inherits.

Returns:

the name of the supertype for this Type

setSupertypeName

void setSupertypeName(String aTypeName)

Sets the name of the supertype for this Type. This is the Type from which this Type inherits.

Parameters:

aTypeName - the name of the supertype for this Type

getFeatures

FeatureDescription[] getFeatures()

Gets the descriptions of the features for this Type.

Returns:

the descriptions of the features for this Type.

setFeatures

void setFeatures(FeatureDescription[] aFeatures)

Sets the descriptions of the features for this Type.

Parameters:

aFeatures - descriptions of the features for this Type.

getAllowedValues

AllowedValue[] getAllowedValues()

Gets the allowed values for instances of this Type. This is used only for special "enumerated types" that extend the String type and define a specific set of allowed values. For all other Types this will return null. Note that if a type has allowed values, it may not have features.

Returns:

the allowed values for instances of this Type

setAllowedValues

void setAllowedValues(AllowedValue[] aAllowedValues)

Sets the allowed values for instances of this Type. This is used only for special "enumerated types" that extend the String type and define a specific set of allowed values. For all other Types this property should be null. Note that if a type has allowed values, it may not have features.

Parameters:

aAllowedValues - the allowed values for instances of this Type

addFeature

FeatureDescription addFeature(String aFeatureName,
                              String aDescription,
                              String aRangeTypeName)

Convenience method which adds a FeatureDescription to this TypeDescription.

Parameters:

aFeatureName - name of feature to add

aDescription - verbose description of the feature

aRangeTypeName - name of feature's range type

Returns:

description of the new Feature

addFeature

FeatureDescription addFeature(String aFeatureName,
                              String aDescription,
                              String aRangeTypeName,
                              String aElementTypeName,
                              Boolean aMultipleReferencesAllowed)

Convenience method which adds a FeatureDescription to this TypeDescription. Used for array or list valued features, which have additional attributes.

Parameters:

aFeatureName - name of feature to add

aDescription - verbose description of the feature

aRangeTypeName - name of feature's range type

aElementTypeName - type of element expected to be contained in the array or list

aMultipleReferencesAllowed - whether an array or list that's assigned to this feature can also be referenced from another feature. This is a Boolean object so that the null value can be used to represent the case where the user has not specified a value.

Returns:

description of the new Feature