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Java Platform 1.2
Beta 4

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Class java.beans.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()

Method Summary

Enumeration	attributeNames()
String	getDisplayName()
String	getName()
String	getShortDescription()
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)
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)
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()

Method Detail

getName

public String getName()

Returns:

The programmatic name of the property/method/event

setName

public void setName(String name)

Parameters:

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

getDisplayName

public String getDisplayName()

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)

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()

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 attributeNames()

Returns:

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