NameDef


1   /**
2    * JORM: an implementation of a generic mapping system for persistent Java
3    *       objects. Two mapping are supported: to RDBMS and to binary files.
4    * Copyright (C) 2001-2003 France Telecom R&D - INRIA
5    *
6    * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
7    * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
8    * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
9    * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
10   *
11   * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
12   * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
13   * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
14   * Lesser General Public License for more details.
15   *
16   * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
17   * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
18   * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
19   *
20   * Contact: jorm-team@objectweb.org
21   *
22   */
23  
24  package org.objectweb.jorm.metainfo.api;
25  
26  import java.util.Iterator  ;
27  
28  /**
29   * The NameDef interface describes the mapping of a reference field,
30   * ut can be the PName of a Class. It can be a Field which is an attribute
31   * of the class and is a reference; in this case, the reference can be
32   * to another Class (ClassObject) or to a GenClass.
33   * A NameDef object is composed of ScalarField(s) and/or FieldName(s),
34   * or system defined.
35   * @author  X. Spengler
36   */
37  public interface NameDef extends MetaObject {
38  
39      /**
40       * Allows to know if the namedef is describe by a composite name.
41       * @return true the namedef is a composite one.
42       */
43      boolean isNameRef();
44  
45      /**
46       * Allows to know if the namedef is describe by a single field.
47       * @return true the namedef is a single one.
48       */
49      boolean isFieldName();
50  
51      /**
52       * Builds a reference toward a composite name describing the namedef.
53       * @param cn_Class the meta object representing the composite name.
54       * @return the nameref metaobject describing the reference.
55       */
56      NameRef createNameRef(CompositeName cn_Class);
57  
58      /**
59       * Retrieves the nameref if the namedef is a composite one.
60       * @return the nameref or null if the namedef is a single one or system.
61       */
62      NameRef getNameRef();
63  
64      /**
65       * Retrieves the name of the field describing the namedef.
66       * The fieldname can be the name of a field or an hiddenfield.
67       * @return the fieldname or null is the namedef is a system or a composite one.
68       */
69      String   getFieldName();
70  
71      /**
72       * Allows to set the fieldname describing the namedef single field.
73       * @param fieldname the fieldname
74       */
75      void setFieldName(String   fieldname);
76  
77      /**
78       * Returns the name of the NameDef object.
79       * @return the name of the NameDef object.
80       */
81      public String   getName();
82  
83      /**
84       * Sets the name of the NameDef object.
85       * @param name the name of the NameDef object.
86       */
87      public void setName(String   name);
88  
89      /**
90       * Allows to know if the mapping of the referenced field is defined by
91       * another system (could be defined by Versant system for instance).
92       * @return  true, if the mapping is defined by another system, else false,
93       *          if the mapping is defined inside JORM (by ScalarField(s) and
94       *          FieldName(s)).
95       */
96      boolean isSystem();
97  
98      /**
99       * Allows to set if the current NameDef is system defined (defined outside
100      * jorm) or not.
101      * @param system    true, if the mapping is defined by another system, else
102      *                  false, if the mapping is defined inside JORM (by
103      *                  ScalarField(s) and FieldName(s)).
104      */
105     void setSystem(boolean system);
106 
107     /**
108      * Returns the number of  fields which composed the current object.
109      * these fields are hidden or not
110      * @return  the number of  fields
111      */
112     int getFieldNumber();
113 
114     /**
115      * Returns an iterator on all fields (HiddenFields and FieldRef).
116      * This iterator contains FieldName . If no object
117      * fields exists, an empty iterator is returned.
118      * @return  an iterator on field
119      */
120     Iterator   iterateField();
121 
122 }
123
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