Package org.biojava.utils

Class ChangeType

java.lang.Object

org.biojava.utils.ChangeType

All Implemented Interfaces:

Serializable

public final class ChangeType
extends Object
implements Serializable

Class for all constants which are used to indicate change types. Note that all ChangeType objects must be accessible via a public static field of some class or interface. These should be specified at construction time, so that the ChangeType can be properly serialized. Typically, they should be constructed using code like:

 class MyClassWhichCanFireChangeEvents {
   public final static ChangeType CHANGE_COLOR = new ChangeType(
              "Color change",
              MyClassWhichCanFireChangeEvents.class,
              "CHANGE_COLOR");
   // Rest of the class here...
 }
 

As of BioJava 1.2, the known ChangeTypes of a system follow a simple hierarchy with single inheritance. All ChangeTypes (except ChangeType.UNKNOWN) have a parent ChangeType (defaulting to ChangeType.UNKNOWN). Generally, when a listener is registered for changetype foo, changes of type bar should be accepted if bar is a sub-type of foo. This can be checked using an expression like:

     bar.isMatchingType(foo);
 

Since:

1.1

Author:

Thomas Down, Matthew Pocock

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field	Description
static ChangeType	UNKNOWN	Constant ChangeType field which indicates that a change has occured which can't otherwise be represented.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor	Description
ChangeType(String name, Class clazz, String fname)	Construct a new ChangeType with supertype UNKNOWN.
ChangeType(String name, Class clazz, String fname, ChangeType superType)	Construct a new ChangeType.
ChangeType(String name, Field ourField)	Construct a new ChangeType with superType UNKNOWN.
ChangeType(String name, Field ourField, ChangeType superType)	Construct a new ChangeType.
ChangeType(String name, String className, String fieldName)
ChangeType(String name, String className, String fieldName, ChangeType superType)

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
static Set	getChangeTypes(Class clazz)	Get all ChangeType objects defined within a class.
Field	getField()	Return a Field object where this change type is declared.
String	getName()	Return the name of this change.
boolean	isMatchingType(ChangeType ct)	Return true iff ct is equal to this type or any of it's supertypes (including ChangeType.UNKNOWN).
Iterator	matchingTypes()	Return an iterator which contains this type, and all supertypes.
String	toString()	Return a string representation of this change.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

UNKNOWN

public static final ChangeType UNKNOWN

Constant ChangeType field which indicates that a change has occured which can't otherwise be represented. Please do not use this when there is another, more sensible, option. This is the fallback for when you realy don't know what else to do.

As of BioJava 1.2, this type is the root of the ChangeType hierarchy. Listening for this type is equivalent to listening for all ChangeTypes.

Constructor Detail

ChangeType

public ChangeType(String name,
                  Field ourField,
                  ChangeType superType)

Construct a new ChangeType.

Parameters:

name - The name of this change.

ourField - The public static field which contains this ChangeType.

superType - The supertype of this type.

Since:

1.2

ChangeType

public ChangeType(String name,
                  Field ourField)

Construct a new ChangeType with superType UNKNOWN.

Parameters:

name - The name of this change.

ourField - The public static field which contains this ChangeType.

ChangeType

public ChangeType(String name,
                  Class clazz,
                  String fname)

Construct a new ChangeType with supertype UNKNOWN.

Parameters:

name - The name of this change.

clazz - The class which is going to contain this change.

fname - The name of the field in clazz which is to contain a reference to this change.

Throws:

BioError - If the field cannot be found.

ChangeType

public ChangeType(String name,
                  Class clazz,
                  String fname,
                  ChangeType superType)

Construct a new ChangeType.

Parameters:

name - The name of this change.

clazz - The class which is going to contain this change.

fname - The name of the field in clazz which is to contain a reference to this change.

superType - the supertype of this type.

Throws:

BioError - If the field cannot be found.

Since:

1.2

ChangeType

public ChangeType(String name,
                  String className,
                  String fieldName,
                  ChangeType superType)

ChangeType

public ChangeType(String name,
                  String className,
                  String fieldName)

Method Detail

getName

public String getName()

Return the name of this change.

Returns:

The Name value

getField

public Field getField()

Return a Field object where this change type is declared.

toString

public String toString()

Return a string representation of this change.

Overrides:

toString in class Object

Returns:

Description of the Returned Value

getChangeTypes

public static Set getChangeTypes(Class clazz)

Get all ChangeType objects defined within a class. This includes ChangeTypes defined in superclasses and interfaces. Only fields declared as public [final] static ChangeType are returned.

Parameters:

clazz - A class to introspect

matchingTypes

public Iterator matchingTypes()

Return an iterator which contains this type, and all supertypes.

Since:

1.2

isMatchingType

public boolean isMatchingType(ChangeType ct)

Return true iff ct is equal to this type or any of it's supertypes (including ChangeType.UNKNOWN). If this is true, then ct is more general than this.

Since:

1.2