org.mmbase.bridge
Interface Field

All Known Implementing Classes:

BasicField

public interface Field

This interface represents a node's field type information object.

Version:

$Id: Field.java,v 1.15 2003/11/26 17:58:27 michiel Exp $

Author:

Pierre van Rooden, Jaco de Groot

Field Summary

static int	STATE_PERSISTENT
static int	STATE_SYSTEM
static int	STATE_UNKNOWN
static int	STATE_VIRTUAL
static int	TYPE_BYTE
static int	TYPE_DOUBLE
static int	TYPE_FLOAT
static int	TYPE_INTEGER
static int	TYPE_LONG
static int	TYPE_NODE
static int	TYPE_STRING
static int	TYPE_UNKNOWN
static int	TYPE_XML

Method Summary

java.lang.String	getDescription() Returns the description for this field.
java.lang.String	getDescription(java.util.Locale locale) Returns the description for this field in a specified preferred language.
java.lang.String	getGUIName() Returns the GUI name for this field.
java.lang.String	getGUIName(java.util.Locale locale) Returns the GUI name for this field in a specified preferred language.
java.lang.String	getGUIType() Returns the GUI name for the data type this field contains.
int	getMaxLength() Returns the maximum length of data this field can contain.
java.lang.String	getName() Returns the name of this field.
NodeManager	getNodeManager() Returns the node manager this field belongs to.
int	getState() Returns this field's state identifier.
int	getType() Returns the identifier for the data type this field contains.
boolean	hasIndex() Returns whether this field is a key field, meaning that the storage layer should define an index for it, allowing optimization with search and sort actions.
boolean	isRequired() Returns whether this field is required (should have content).
boolean	isUnique() Returns whether this field is part of a unique key (a set of fields whose combined content should occur only once).

Field Detail

STATE_VIRTUAL

public static final int STATE_VIRTUAL

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Constant Field Values

STATE_PERSISTENT

public static final int STATE_PERSISTENT

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Constant Field Values

STATE_SYSTEM

public static final int STATE_SYSTEM

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Constant Field Values

STATE_UNKNOWN

public static final int STATE_UNKNOWN

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_STRING

public static final int TYPE_STRING

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_INTEGER

public static final int TYPE_INTEGER

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_BYTE

public static final int TYPE_BYTE

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_FLOAT

public static final int TYPE_FLOAT

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_DOUBLE

public static final int TYPE_DOUBLE

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_LONG

public static final int TYPE_LONG

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_XML

public static final int TYPE_XML

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_NODE

public static final int TYPE_NODE

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Constant Field Values

TYPE_UNKNOWN

public static final int TYPE_UNKNOWN

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Constant Field Values

Method Detail

getNodeManager

public NodeManager getNodeManager()

Returns the node manager this field belongs to.

Returns:

the node manager this field belongs to

getName

public java.lang.String getName()

Returns the name of this field.

Returns:

the name of this field

getGUIType

public java.lang.String getGUIType()

Returns the GUI name for the data type this field contains.

Returns:

the GUI name for the data type this field contains

getGUIName

public java.lang.String getGUIName()

Returns the GUI name for this field.

Returns:

the GUI name for this field

getGUIName

public java.lang.String getGUIName(java.util.Locale locale)

Returns the GUI name for this field in a specified preferred language.

Parameters:

locale - the locale that determines the language for the GUI name

Returns:

the GUI name for this field

Since:

MMBase-1.7

getDescription

public java.lang.String getDescription()

Returns the description for this field.

Returns:

the description for this field

getDescription

public java.lang.String getDescription(java.util.Locale locale)

Returns the description for this field in a specified preferred language.

Parameters:

locale - the locale that determines the language for the description

Returns:

the description for this field

Since:

MMBase-1.7

getType

public int getType()

Returns the identifier for the data type this field contains.

Returns:

an int which identifies the type of data this field contains

getState

public int getState()

Returns this field's state identifier.

Returns:

an int which identifies the state of this field

isRequired

public boolean isRequired()

Returns whether this field is required (should have content). Note that MMBase does not generally enforce required fields to be filled - If not provided, a default value (generally an empty string or the integer value -1) is filled in by the system. As such, isRequired will mostly be used as an indicator for (generic) editors.

Returns:

true if the field is required

Since:

MMBase-1.6

isUnique

public boolean isUnique()

Returns whether this field is part of a unique key (a set of fields whose combined content should occur only once). Note that MMBase lets the storage layer handle this. If your storage implementation or configuration does not support this the uniqueness may not be enforced.

Returns:

true if the field is part of a unique key

Since:

MMBase-1.6

hasIndex

public boolean hasIndex()

Returns whether this field is a key field, meaning that the storage layer should define an index for it, allowing optimization with search and sort actions. Note that MMBase lets the storage layer decide whether an index is actually defined. Some implementations or configurations may not do this. Note: Currently, this method only returns true if the field is the primary key (number field) or a Node field.

Returns:

true if the field has a key defined

Since:

MMBase-1.7

getMaxLength

public int getMaxLength()

Returns the maximum length of data this field can contain. For example if a field contains characters the size indicates the maximum number of characters it can contain. If the field is a numeric field (such as an integer), the result is -1.

Returns:

the maximum length of data this field can contain