java.beans
Class FeatureDescriptor

java.lang.Object   
  java.beans.FeatureDescriptor

Direct Known Subclasses:

BeanDescriptor , EventSetDescriptor , MethodDescriptor , ParameterDescriptor , PropertyDescriptor

public class FeatureDescriptor
extends Object   

The FeatureDescriptor class is the common baseclass for PropertyDescriptor, EventSetDescriptor, and MethodDescriptor, etc.

It supports some common information that can be set and retrieved for any of the introspection descriptors.

In addition it provides an extension mechanism so that arbitrary attribute/value pairs can be associated with a design feature.

Constructor Summary

FeatureDescriptor ()
Constructs a FeatureDescriptor.

Method Summary

Enumeration <String >	attributeNames () Gets an enumeration of the locale-independent names of this feature.
String	getDisplayName () Gets the localized display name of this feature.
String	getName () Gets the programmatic name of this feature.
String	getShortDescription () Gets the short description of this feature.
Object	getValue (String attributeName) Retrieve a named attribute with this feature.
boolean	isExpert () The "expert" flag is used to distinguish between those features that are intended for expert users from those that are intended for normal users.
boolean	isHidden () The "hidden" flag is used to identify features that are intended only for tool use, and which should not be exposed to humans.
boolean	isPreferred () The "preferred" flag is used to identify features that are particularly important for presenting to humans.
void	setDisplayName (String displayName) Sets the localized display name of this feature.
void	setExpert (boolean expert) The "expert" flag is used to distinguish between features that are intended for expert users from those that are intended for normal users.
void	setHidden (boolean hidden) The "hidden" flag is used to identify features that are intended only for tool use, and which should not be exposed to humans.
void	setName (String name) Sets the programmatic name of this feature.
void	setPreferred (boolean preferred) The "preferred" flag is used to identify features that are particularly important for presenting to humans.
void	setShortDescription (String text) You can associate a short descriptive string with a feature.
void	setValue (String attributeName, Object value) Associate a named attribute with this feature.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

Constructor Detail

FeatureDescriptor

public FeatureDescriptor()

Constructs a FeatureDescriptor.

Method Detail

getName

public String    getName()

Gets the programmatic name of this feature.

Returns:

The programmatic name of the property/method/event

setName

public void setName(String    name)

Sets the programmatic name of this feature.

Parameters:

name - The programmatic name of the property/method/event

getDisplayName

public String    getDisplayName()

Gets the localized display name of this feature.

Returns:

The localized display name for the property/method/event. This defaults to the same as its programmatic name from getName.

setDisplayName

public void setDisplayName(String    displayName)

Sets the localized display name of this feature.

Parameters:

displayName - The localized display name for the property/method/event.

isExpert

public boolean isExpert()

The "expert" flag is used to distinguish between those features that are intended for expert users from those that are intended for normal users.

Returns:

True if this feature is intended for use by experts only.

setExpert

public void setExpert(boolean expert)

The "expert" flag is used to distinguish between features that are intended for expert users from those that are intended for normal users.

Parameters:

expert - True if this feature is intended for use by experts only.

isHidden

public boolean isHidden()

The "hidden" flag is used to identify features that are intended only for tool use, and which should not be exposed to humans.

Returns:

True if this feature should be hidden from human users.

setHidden

public void setHidden(boolean hidden)

The "hidden" flag is used to identify features that are intended only for tool use, and which should not be exposed to humans.

Parameters:

hidden - True if this feature should be hidden from human users.

isPreferred

public boolean isPreferred()

The "preferred" flag is used to identify features that are particularly important for presenting to humans.

Returns:

True if this feature should be preferentially shown to human users.

setPreferred

public void setPreferred(boolean preferred)

The "preferred" flag is used to identify features that are particularly important for presenting to humans.

Parameters:

preferred - True if this feature should be preferentially shown to human users.

getShortDescription

public String    getShortDescription()

Gets the short description of this feature.

Returns:

A localized short description associated with this property/method/event. This defaults to be the display name.

setShortDescription

public void setShortDescription(String    text)

You can associate a short descriptive string with a feature. Normally these descriptive strings should be less than about 40 characters.

Parameters:

text - A (localized) short description to be associated with this property/method/event.

setValue

public void setValue(String    attributeName,
                     Object    value)

Associate a named attribute with this feature.

Parameters:

attributeName - The locale-independent name of the attribute

value - The value.

getValue

public Object    getValue(String    attributeName)

Retrieve a named attribute with this feature.

Parameters:

attributeName - The locale-independent name of the attribute

Returns:

The value of the attribute. May be null if the attribute is unknown.

attributeNames

public Enumeration   <String   > attributeNames()

Gets an enumeration of the locale-independent names of this feature.

Returns:

An enumeration of the locale-independent names of any attributes that have been registered with setValue.