com.sas.entities
Interface AttributeTypeInterface

All Superinterfaces:

BaseAttributeDescriptorInterface, RemoteObjectInterface

All Known Implementing Classes:

AttributeType

public interface AttributeTypeInterface

extends BaseAttributeDescriptorInterface

AttributeTypeInterface describes AttributeTypes which define properties that are common to AttributeDescriptors of that type. The Attribute type provides the following information about the AttributeDescriptor:

validators

a list of components which can validate a value assigned to an attribute.

editor

a component which can edit a value of this type

Additional information is obtained from BaseAttributeDescriptorInterface:

1. name
2. label
3. description
4. smallIconURL
5. largeIconURL
6. customizer

In addition to defining properties, AttributeTypes constrain the data types that are acceptable values for an AttributeDescriptor. As an example, an "int" AttributeType limits values to those that can be used to create the java primitive type of int.

Components of an AttributeType

An AttributeType consists of three components:

name

a name associated with the AttributeType. Useful in UI (User Interface) applications where users can specify AttributeTypes for AttributeDescriptors. This field can be null.

sql type

corresponds to a generic SQL type as defined in Types. Constrains values assigned to an AttributeDescriptor to be compatible with the sql type. As an example, specifying Types.INTEGER, should limit values to those that can be used to create a java primitive type of int.

object type

used with sql types of Types.ARRAY and Types.JAVA_OBJECT. Return the array component type (if the AttributeType was defined with sql type of Types.ARRAY) or the classname of the object if the AttributeType was defined as Types.OBJECT.

Creating Attribute Types

AttributeTypeFactory

The class, AttributeTypeFactory, contains constants and static functions for creating common attribute types:

AttributeType at = AttributeTypeFactory.STRING_ATTRIBUTE_TYPE; // String

AttributeType at = AttributeTypeFactory.INTEGER_ATTRIBUTE_TYPE; // Integer

Specifying Constructor Arguments

AttributeTypes can be created by either specifying the SQLType (as defined in java.sql.Types) or by specifying a String that corresponds to a java type.

AttributeType at = new AttributeType("String","java.lang.String"); // String

where "String" is the name of the AttributeType

Primitive types and String attribute types are easily created using constants to specify the SQLType:

AttributeType at = new AttributeType("long",LONG_TYPE); // long

where "long" is the name of the AttributeType

AttributeTypes can be created by specifying the SQLType:

AttributeType at = new AttributeType("int",Types.INTEGER ); // int

Attribute Type	SQL Constant
String	Types.VARCHAR
long	Types.BIGINT
boolean	Types.BOOLEAN
double	Types.DOUBLE
float	Types.FLOAT
int	Types.INTEGER
java.lang.Object	Types.OBJECT

Array and Object Attribute Types

Object types can be created by simply specifying the object's class name:

AttributeType at = new AttributeType("Date","java.util.Date"); // Date

Object-type arrays can be created by specifying the object's class name followed by "[]":

AttributeType at = new AttributeType("Color Array","java.awt.Color[]"); // Color []

Date Attribute Types

When creating dates for a Date Attribute Type (sql type = Types.DATE), the date needs to created using the GMT timezone in order for it to be shared in a multi-timezone environment.

Field Summary

static int	ARRAY_TYPE Constant for creating array attribute types
static int	BOOLEAN_TYPE Constant for creating boolean attribute type
static int	BYTE_TYPE Constant for creating byte attribute type
static int	CHAR_TYPE Constant for creating char attribute type
static int	DOUBLE_TYPE Constant for creating double attribute type
static int	FLOAT_TYPE Constant for creating float attribute type
static int	INT_TYPE Constant for creating int attribute type
static int	LONG_TYPE Constant for creating long attribute type
static int	OBJECT_TYPE Constant for creating java.lang.Object attribute type
static int	OTHER_TYPE Constant for creating "other" types
static int	SHORT_TYPE Constant for creating short attribute type
static int	STRING_TYPE Constant for creating java.lang.String attribute type

Method Summary

String	getObjectType() Return the component type (if the AttributeType was defined as Types.ARRAY) or the classname of the object if the AttributeType was defined as Types.OBJECT.
int	getSQLType() Return the SQL type.
String	getType() Return the java type.
List	getValidators(String context) Return the validators.
List	getValidatorsContexts() Returns a list of validators contexts defined for this AttributeType.
void	setObjectType(String type) Sets the component type (if the AttributeType was defined as Types.ARRAY) or the classname of the object if the AttributeType was defined as Types.OBJECT.
void	setSQLType(int sqlType) Set the SQL type.
void	setType(String type) Set the java type setType("java.lang.String"); //String AttributeType setType("java.util.Date"); //Date AttributeType
void	setValidators(String context, List validators) Set the validators.

Methods inherited from interface com.sas.entities.BaseAttributeDescriptorInterface

getAttributeCustomizerContexts, getAttributeCustomizers, getConfigurationXML, getCustomizer, getDescription, getDescriptions, getLabel, getLabels, getLargeIconURL, getLargeIconURLs, getName, getSmallIconURL, getSmallIconURLs, setConfigurationXML, setCustomizer, setDescription, setLabel, setLargeIconURL, setName, setSmallIconURL

Field Detail

STRING_TYPE

public static final int STRING_TYPE

Constant for creating java.lang.String attribute type

FLOAT_TYPE

public static final int FLOAT_TYPE

Constant for creating float attribute type

LONG_TYPE

public static final int LONG_TYPE

Constant for creating long attribute type

DOUBLE_TYPE

public static final int DOUBLE_TYPE

Constant for creating double attribute type

INT_TYPE

public static final int INT_TYPE

Constant for creating int attribute type

SHORT_TYPE

public static final int SHORT_TYPE

Constant for creating short attribute type

BOOLEAN_TYPE

public static final int BOOLEAN_TYPE

Constant for creating boolean attribute type

BYTE_TYPE

public static final int BYTE_TYPE

Constant for creating byte attribute type

CHAR_TYPE

public static final int CHAR_TYPE

Constant for creating char attribute type

OBJECT_TYPE

public static final int OBJECT_TYPE

Constant for creating java.lang.Object attribute type

ARRAY_TYPE

public static final int ARRAY_TYPE

Constant for creating array attribute types

OTHER_TYPE

public static final int OTHER_TYPE

Constant for creating "other" types

Method Detail

getSQLType

public int getSQLType()

Return the SQL type.

Returns:

the SQL type

See Also:

setSQLType(int sqlType), Types

setSQLType

public void setSQLType(int sqlType)

Set the SQL type. Valid SQL types are defined in Types.

Parameters:

sqlType - generic SQL type

See Also:

getSQLType(), Types

getType

public String getType()

Return the java type. If the type is an array, it is returned in the form of "classname[]" (.ie int[], java.lang.String[])

Returns:

java type

See Also:

setType(String type)

setType

public void setType(String type)

Set the java type

• setType("java.lang.String"); //String AttributeType
• setType("java.util.Date"); //Date AttributeType

Parameters:

type - classname

See Also:

getType()

getValidators

public List getValidators(String context)

Return the validators.

Parameters:

context - the context in which the validators are instantiated/used; it is a platform specification from EntityContextInterface

Returns:

list of validators for the specified context

See Also:

setValidators(String context, List validators)

setValidators

public void setValidators(String context,
                          List validators)

Set the validators. Validators are used to validate input, normalize input, and return error information when the input is invalid.

Parameters:

context - the context in which the validators are instantiated/used; it is a platform specification from EntityContextInterface

validators - names of the validators

See Also:

getValidators(String context), EntityContextInterface

getValidatorsContexts

public List getValidatorsContexts()

Returns a list of validators contexts defined for this AttributeType.

Returns:

list of contexts

getObjectType

public String getObjectType()

Return the component type (if the AttributeType was defined as Types.ARRAY) or the classname of the object if the AttributeType was defined as Types.OBJECT. This method is used for persisting AttributeTypes and is usually invoked from other methods.

Returns:

component type

See Also:

setObjectType(String type)

setObjectType

public void setObjectType(String type)

Sets the component type (if the AttributeType was defined as Types.ARRAY) or the classname of the object if the AttributeType was defined as Types.OBJECT. This method is used for persisting AttributeTypes and will be invoked from other methods.

Parameters:

type - component type

See Also:

getObjectType()