Package org.apache.uima.cas_data

Interface FeatureStructure

All Superinterfaces:
Serializable
All Known Subinterfaces:
PrimitiveArrayFS, ReferenceArrayFS
All Known Implementing Classes:
FeatureStructureImpl, PrimitiveArrayFSImpl, ReferenceArrayFSImpl
public interface FeatureStructure extends Serializable
An object in the CAS. Each FeatureStructure has an optional ID, a type (represented as a string), and a collection of features, which are attribute-value pairs. Feature names are strings, and their values may be primitives (String, integer, float) or references (via ID) to another FeatureStructures. Circular references are allowed.

Arrays are represented by the subtypes PrimitiveArrayFS and ReferenceArrayFS. Arrays are not primitive values. This means that if the value of a feature is conceptually, for example, an integer array, this will be represented in the CasData as a reference, via ID, to a PrimitiveArrayFS object that actually contains the integer array value.

FeatureStructures also have a property indexed, which determines whether the FeatureStructure should be added to the CAS's indexes if the CAS Data is converted to a CAS Object. The CasData itself does not provide indexes.

  • Method Summary

    Modifier and Type
    Method
    Description
    String[]
    getFeatureNames()
    Gets the names of all features on this FeatureStructure.
    FeatureValue
    getFeatureValue(String aName)
    Gets the value of a feature
    String
    getId()
    Gets the ID of this FeatureStructure.
    int[]
    getIndexed()
    Gets the index repositories that this FeatureStrucutre should be indexed in if the CasData is converted to a CAS Object.
    String
    getType()
    Gets the type of this FeatureStructure
    boolean
    isIndexed()
    Deprecated.
    Use getIndexed() instead
    void
    setFeatureValue(String aName, FeatureValue aValue)
    Sets the value of a feature
    void
    setId(String aId)
    Sets the ID of this FeatureStructure.
    void
    setIndexed(boolean aIndexed)
    Deprecated.
    Use setIndexed(int[]) instead
    void
    setIndexed(int[] aIndexed)
    Sets the index repositories that this FeatureStrucutre should be indexed in if the CasData is converted to a CAS Object.
    void
    setType(String aType)
    Sets the type of this FeatureStructure

  • Method Details

    • getId

      String getId()
      Gets the ID of this FeatureStructure. IDs are optional, so this may return null. A FeatureStructure must have an ID if it is to be the target of a reference.
      Returns:
      this FeatureStructure's ID, null if none

    • setId

      void setId(String aId)
      Sets the ID of this FeatureStructure. IDs are optional, so null may be passed to this method. A FeatureStructure must have an ID if it is to be the target of a reference.
      Parameters:
      aId - the ID to assign to this FeatureStructure, null if none. It is the caller's responsibiltiy to ensure that this ID is unique within the CasData containing this FeatureStructure.

    • getType

      String getType()
      Gets the type of this FeatureStructure
      Returns:
      this FeatureStructure's type, as a string

    • setType

      void setType(String aType)
      Sets the type of this FeatureStructure
      Parameters:
      aType - this FeatureStructure's type, as a string

    • getFeatureNames

      String[] getFeatureNames()
      Gets the names of all features on this FeatureStructure.
      Returns:
      an array of feature names

    • getFeatureValue

      FeatureValue getFeatureValue(String aName)
      Gets the value of a feature
      Parameters:
      aName - name of feature
      Returns:
      value of feature named aName, or null if there is no such feature

    • setFeatureValue

      void setFeatureValue(String aName, FeatureValue aValue)
      Sets the value of a feature
      Parameters:
      aName - name of feature to set
      aValue - value of feature

    • isIndexed

      @Deprecated boolean isIndexed()
      Deprecated.
      Use getIndexed() instead
      Gets whether this FeatureStructure should be indexed if the CasData is converted to a CAS Object. The CasData itself does not provide indexes.
      Returns:
      true if this FS should be indexed, false if not

    • setIndexed

      @Deprecated void setIndexed(boolean aIndexed)
      Deprecated.
      Use setIndexed(int[]) instead
      Sets whether this FeatureStructure should be indexed if the CasData is converted to a CAS Object. The CasData itself does not provide indexes.
      Parameters:
      aIndexed - true if this FS should be indexed, false if not

    • getIndexed

      int[] getIndexed()
      Gets the index repositories that this FeatureStrucutre should be indexed in if the CasData is converted to a CAS Object. The CasData itself does not provide indexes.
      Returns:
      an array containing the numbers of the index repsositories that should contain this FS. Returns an empty array if this FS is not indexed.

    • setIndexed

      void setIndexed(int[] aIndexed)
      Sets the index repositories that this FeatureStrucutre should be indexed in if the CasData is converted to a CAS Object. The CasData itself does not provide indexes.
      Parameters:
      aIndexed - an array containing the numbers of the index repsositories that should contain this FS. Passing null is equivalent to passing an empty array.