jade.content.schema

Class ObjectSchema

java.lang.Object

jade.content.schema.ObjectSchema

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable

Direct Known Subclasses:

ContentElementSchema, TermSchema

public abstract class ObjectSchema
extends java.lang.Object
implements Serializable

The common ancestor of all ontological schemas.

Author:

Federico Bergenti - Universita` di Parma, Giovanni Caire - TILAB

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
static java.lang.String	BASE_NAME
protected static ObjectSchema	baseSchema
protected boolean	encodingByOrder
static int	MANDATORY Canstant value indicating that a slot in a schema is mandatory, i.e. its value must not be null
static int	OPTIONAL Canstant value indicating that a slot in a schema is optional, i.e. its value can be null
static int	UNLIMITED Canstant value indicating that a slot in a schema has an infinite maximum cardinality

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
ObjectSchema()

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
protected abstract void	add(java.lang.String name, ObjectSchema slotSchema) Add a mandatory slot to the schema.
protected abstract void	add(java.lang.String name, ObjectSchema slotSchema, int optionality) Add a slot to the schema.
protected abstract void	add(java.lang.String name, ObjectSchema elementsSchema, int cardMin, int cardMax) Add a slot with cardinality between cardMin and cardMax to this schema.
protected abstract void	add(java.lang.String name, ObjectSchema elementsSchema, int cardMin, int cardMax, java.lang.String aggType) Add a slot with cardinality between cardMin and cardMax to this schema and allow specifying the type of Aggregate to be used for this slot.
protected abstract void	addFacet(java.lang.String slotName, Facet f) Add a Facet on a slot of this schema
protected abstract void	addSuperSchema(ObjectSchema superSchema) Add a super schema tho this schema, i.e. this schema will inherit all characteristics from the super schema
abstract boolean	containsSlot(java.lang.String name) Indicate whether a given String is the name of a slot defined in this Schema including super-schemas
protected abstract boolean	descendsFrom(ObjectSchema s) Return true if - s is the base schema for the XXXSchema class this schema is an instance of (e.g. s is ConceptSchema.getBaseSchema() and this schema is an instance of ConceptSchema) - s is the base schema for a super-class of the XXXSchema class this schema is an instance of (e.g. s is TermSchema.getBaseSchema() and this schema is an instance of ConceptSchema)
static ObjectSchema	getBaseSchema() Retrieve the generic base schema for all objects.
boolean	getEncodingByOrder() Get the indication whether the preferred encoding for the slots of concepts compliant to this schema is by order or by name.
abstract Facet[]	getFacets(java.lang.String slotName) Retrieves the facets defined upon a slot.
abstract java.lang.String[]	getNames() Returns the names of all the slots in this Schema (including slots defined in super schemas).
abstract java.lang.String[]	getOwnNames() Returns the names of the slots defined in this Schema (excluding slots defined in super schemas).
abstract ObjectSchema	getSchema(java.lang.String name) Retrieves the schema of a slot of this Schema.
abstract ObjectSchema[]	getSuperSchemas() Retrieves an array containing the direct super-schemas of this schema.
abstract java.lang.String	getTypeName() Retrieves the name of the type of this schema.
abstract boolean	isAssignableFrom(ObjectSchema s) This method checks whether or not an abstract object that is an instance of schema s can be used in place of an abstract object that is an instance of this schema.
abstract boolean	isCompatibleWith(ObjectSchema s) Check if this schema is compatible with a given schema s.
abstract boolean	isMandatory(java.lang.String name) Indicate whether a slot of this schema is mandatory
abstract boolean	isOwnSlot(java.lang.String name) Indicate whether a given String is the name of a slot actually defined in this Schema (excluding super-schemas)
abstract AbsObject	newInstance() Creates an Abstract descriptor to hold an object compliant to this Schema.
void	setEncodingByOrder(boolean b) Sets an indication about whether the preferred encoding for the slots of concepts compliants to this schema is by oredr or by name.
abstract void	validate(AbsObject abs, Ontology onto) Check whether a given abstract descriptor complies with this schema.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

Field Detail

MANDATORY

public static final int MANDATORY

Canstant value indicating that a slot in a schema is mandatory, i.e. its value must not be null

See Also:

Constant Field Values

OPTIONAL

public static final int OPTIONAL

Canstant value indicating that a slot in a schema is optional, i.e. its value can be null

See Also:

Constant Field Values

UNLIMITED

public static final int UNLIMITED

Canstant value indicating that a slot in a schema has an infinite maximum cardinality

See Also:

Constant Field Values

BASE_NAME

public static final java.lang.String BASE_NAME

See Also:

Constant Field Values

baseSchema

protected static ObjectSchema baseSchema

encodingByOrder

protected boolean encodingByOrder

Constructor Detail

ObjectSchema

public ObjectSchema()

Method Detail

getBaseSchema

public static ObjectSchema getBaseSchema()

Retrieve the generic base schema for all objects.

Returns:

the generic base schema for all objects.

add

protected abstract void add(java.lang.String name,
                            ObjectSchema slotSchema,
                            int optionality)

Add a slot to the schema.

Parameters:

name - The name of the slot.

slotSchema - The schema defining the type of the slot.

optionality - The optionality, i.e., OPTIONAL or MANDATORY

add

protected abstract void add(java.lang.String name,
                            ObjectSchema slotSchema)

Add a mandatory slot to the schema.

Parameters:

name - name of the slot.

slotSchema - schema of the slot.

add

protected abstract void add(java.lang.String name,
                            ObjectSchema elementsSchema,
                            int cardMin,
                            int cardMax)

Add a slot with cardinality between cardMin and cardMax to this schema. Adding such a slot corresponds to add a slot of type Aggregate and then to add proper facets (constraints) to check that the type of the elements in the aggregate are compatible with elementsSchema and that the aggregate contains at least cardMin elements and at most cardMax elements. By default the Aggregate is of type BasicOntology.SEQUENCE.

Parameters:

name - The name of the slot.

elementsSchema - The schema for the elements of this slot.

cardMin - This slot must get at least cardMin values

cardMax - This slot can get at most cardMax values

add

protected abstract void add(java.lang.String name,
                            ObjectSchema elementsSchema,
                            int cardMin,
                            int cardMax,
                            java.lang.String aggType)

Add a slot with cardinality between cardMin and cardMax to this schema and allow specifying the type of Aggregate to be used for this slot.

Parameters:

name - The name of the slot.

elementsSchema - The schema for the elements of this slot.

cardMin - This slot must get at least cardMin values

cardMax - This slot can get at most cardMax values

aggType - The type of Aggregate to be used

See Also:

add(String, ObjectSchema, int, int)

addSuperSchema

protected abstract void addSuperSchema(ObjectSchema superSchema)

Add a super schema tho this schema, i.e. this schema will inherit all characteristics from the super schema

Parameters:

superSchema - the super schema.

addFacet

protected abstract void addFacet(java.lang.String slotName,
                                 Facet f)
                          throws OntologyException

Add a Facet on a slot of this schema

Parameters:

slotName - the name of the slot the Facet must be added to.

f - the Facet to be added.

Throws:

OntologyException - if slotName does not identify a valid slot in this schema

setEncodingByOrder

public void setEncodingByOrder(boolean b)

Sets an indication about whether the preferred encoding for the slots of concepts compliants to this schema is by oredr or by name. It should be noted however that the Content Language encoder is free to use or ignore this indication depending on the CL grammar and actual implementation.

getEncodingByOrder

public boolean getEncodingByOrder()

Get the indication whether the preferred encoding for the slots of concepts compliant to this schema is by order or by name.

getTypeName

public abstract java.lang.String getTypeName()

Retrieves the name of the type of this schema.

Returns:

the name of the type of this schema.

getNames

public abstract java.lang.String[] getNames()

Returns the names of all the slots in this Schema (including slots defined in super schemas).

Returns:

the names of all slots.

getOwnNames

public abstract java.lang.String[] getOwnNames()

Returns the names of the slots defined in this Schema (excluding slots defined in super schemas).

Returns:

the names of the slots defined in this Schema.

getSchema

public abstract ObjectSchema getSchema(java.lang.String name)
                                throws OntologyException

Retrieves the schema of a slot of this Schema.

Parameters:

name - The name of the slot.

Returns:

the Schema of slot name

Throws:

OntologyException - If no slot with this name is present in this schema.

containsSlot

public abstract boolean containsSlot(java.lang.String name)

Indicate whether a given String is the name of a slot defined in this Schema including super-schemas

Parameters:

name - The String to test.

Returns:

true if name is the name of a slot defined in this Schema including super-schemas.

isOwnSlot

public abstract boolean isOwnSlot(java.lang.String name)

Indicate whether a given String is the name of a slot actually defined in this Schema (excluding super-schemas)

Parameters:

name - The String to test.

Returns:

true if name is the name of a slot actually defined in this Schema (excluding super-schemas).

isMandatory

public abstract boolean isMandatory(java.lang.String name)
                             throws OntologyException

Indicate whether a slot of this schema is mandatory

Parameters:

name - The name of the slot.

Returns:

true if the slot is mandatory.

Throws:

OntologyException - If no slot with this name is present in this schema.

newInstance

public abstract AbsObject newInstance()
                               throws OntologyException

Creates an Abstract descriptor to hold an object compliant to this Schema.

Throws:

OntologyException

validate

public abstract void validate(AbsObject abs,
                              Ontology onto)
                       throws OntologyException

Check whether a given abstract descriptor complies with this schema.

Parameters:

abs - The abstract descriptor to be checked

Throws:

OntologyException - If the abstract descriptor does not complies with this schema

isCompatibleWith

public abstract boolean isCompatibleWith(ObjectSchema s)

Check if this schema is compatible with a given schema s. This is the case if 1) This schema is equals to s 2) s is one of the super-schemas of this schema 3) This schema descends from s i.e. - s is the base schema for the XXXSchema class this schema is an instance of (e.g. s is ConceptSchema.getBaseSchema() and this schema is an instance of ConceptSchema) - s is the base schema for a super-class of the XXXSchema class this schema is an instance of (e.g. s is TermSchema.getBaseSchema() and this schema is an instance of ConceptSchema)

descendsFrom

protected abstract boolean descendsFrom(ObjectSchema s)

Return true if - s is the base schema for the XXXSchema class this schema is an instance of (e.g. s is ConceptSchema.getBaseSchema() and this schema is an instance of ConceptSchema) - s is the base schema for a super-class of the XXXSchema class this schema is an instance of (e.g. s is TermSchema.getBaseSchema() and this schema is an instance of ConceptSchema)

isAssignableFrom

public abstract boolean isAssignableFrom(ObjectSchema s)

This method checks whether or not an abstract object that is an instance of schema s can be used in place of an abstract object that is an instance of this schema. Note that unlike the method isCompatibleWith() that perform "ontological" checks (i.e. they are related to the reference ontology), this method only performs a structural check on the slots regardless of the fact that the two schemas belong to the same ontology or not.

getSuperSchemas

public abstract ObjectSchema[] getSuperSchemas()

Retrieves an array containing the direct super-schemas of this schema. If this schema has no super-schema an empty array is returned

Returns:

an array containing the direct super-schemas of this schema.

Since:

JADE 3.7

getFacets

public abstract Facet[] getFacets(java.lang.String slotName)

Retrieves the facets defined upon a slot. More in details this method returns all facets defined in this schema plus all facets defined in super-schemas up to the schema actually declaring the given slot.

Parameters:

slotName - the name of the slot

Returns:

the facets defined upon a slot or null if the specified slot is not found.