MessageTemplate (JADE v4.5.0 API)

java.lang.Object
- jade.lang.acl.MessageTemplate

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable
```
public class MessageTemplate
extends java.lang.Object
implements Serializable
```
A pattern for matching incoming ACL messages. This class allows to build complex slot patterns to select ACL messages. These patterns can then be used in receive() operations. This class provide one method for each attribute of an ACLMessage, that can be combined using the logic operators to create more complex patterns. A user can also create an application-specific pattern. In this case he has to implement the MatchExpression interface, writing the application specific match() method. Then an instance of that class can be used as parameter of the MessageTemplate constructor to define the application specific MessageTemaplate.

Version:

$Date: 2008-10-09 14:07:18 +0200 (gio, 09 ott 2008) $ $Revision: 6052 $

Author:

Giovanni Rimassa - Universita' di Parma, Tiziana Trucco - Telecom Italia Lab S.p.A.

See Also:

Agent.receive(MessageTemplate mt), Serialized Form

Nested Class Summary

Nested Classes
Modifier and Type	Class and Description
`static interface`	`MessageTemplate.MatchExpression` This interface must be overriden in order to define an application specific MessageTemplate.

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor and Description

MessageTemplate(MessageTemplate.MatchExpression e)
Public constructor to use when the user needs to define an application specific pattern.

Constructors
Constructor and Description
`MessageTemplate(MessageTemplate.MatchExpression e)` Public constructor to use when the user needs to define an application specific pattern.

Method Summary

All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method and Description
`static MessageTemplate`	`and(MessageTemplate op1, MessageTemplate op2)` Logical and between two `MessageTemplate` objects.
`boolean`	`match(ACLMessage msg)` Matches an ACL message against this `MessageTemplate` object.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchAll()` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchContent(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:content` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchConversationId(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:conversation-id` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchCustom(ACLMessage msg, boolean matchPerformative)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches ACL messages against a given one, passed as parameter.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchEncoding(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:encoding` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchInReplyTo(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:in-reply-to` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchLanguage(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:language` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchOntology(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:ontology` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchPerformative(int value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given performative.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchProtocol(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:protocol` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchReceiver(AID[] values)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:receiver` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchReplyByDate(java.util.Date value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:reply-by` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchReplyTo(AID[] values)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:reply-to` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchReplyWith(java.lang.String value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:reply-with` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchSender(AID value)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given `:sender` slot.
`static MessageTemplate`	`MatchTopic(AID topic)` This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message about a given topic.
`static MessageTemplate`	`not(MessageTemplate op)` Logical not of a `MessageTemplate` object.
`static MessageTemplate`	`or(MessageTemplate op1, MessageTemplate op2)` Logical or between two `MessageTemplate` objects.
`java.lang.String`	`toString()` Retrieve a string representation of this message template.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

- Constructor Detail
  - MessageTemplate
```
public MessageTemplate(MessageTemplate.MatchExpression e)
```
    Public constructor to use when the user needs to define an application specific pattern.
- Method Detail
  - MatchAll
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchAll()
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching any given value.
  - MatchSender
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchSender(AID value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :sender slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchReceiver
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchReceiver(AID[] values)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :receiver slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    values - An array of Agent IDs against which the value of the message slot will be matched.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchTopic
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchTopic(AID topic)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message about a given topic.
    
    Parameters:
    
    topic - An AID representing the topic to be matched
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching messages about the given topic
  - MatchContent
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchContent(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :content slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchReplyWith
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchReplyWith(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :reply-with slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchInReplyTo
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchInReplyTo(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :in-reply-to slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchReplyTo
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchReplyTo(AID[] values)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :reply-to slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    values - An array of Agent IDs against which the value of the message slot will be matched.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchLanguage
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchLanguage(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :language slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchEncoding
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchEncoding(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :encoding slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchOntology
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchOntology(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :ontology slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchReplyByDate
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchReplyByDate(java.util.Date value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :reply-by slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The Date the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchProtocol
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchProtocol(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :protocol slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchConversationId
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchConversationId(java.lang.String value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given :conversation-id slot.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate matching the given value.
  - MatchPerformative
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchPerformative(int value)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches any message with a given performative.
    
    Parameters:
    
    value - The value the message slot will be matched against.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTenplatematching the given value.
  - MatchCustom
```
public static MessageTemplate MatchCustom(ACLMessage msg,
                                          boolean matchPerformative)
```
    This Factory Method returns a message template that matches ACL messages against a given one, passed as parameter. The following algorithm is used: When the given ACLMessage has a non null slot, subsequent messages must have the same slot value in that slot to have a match. When the given ACLMessage has a null slot, subsequent messages can have any value for that slot and still match the template. In short, a null value for a slot means don't care.
    
    Parameters:
    
    msg - The ACLMessage used to build a custom message template.
    
    matchPerformative - a bool value. When true, the performative of the msg will be considered as a part of the template (i.e. the message template will match only ACL messages with the same performativa as msg). When , the performative of msg is ignored and the resulting message template will not consider it when matching messages.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate, matching the given message according to the above algorithm.
  - and
```
public static MessageTemplate and(MessageTemplate op1,
                                  MessageTemplate op2)
```
    Logical and between two MessageTemplate objects. This method creates a new message template that is matched by those ACL messages matching both message templates given as operands.
    
    Parameters:
    
    op1 - The first and operand.
    
    op2 - The second and operand.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate object.
    
    See Also:
    
    or(MessageTemplate op1, MessageTemplate op2)
  - or
```
public static MessageTemplate or(MessageTemplate op1,
                                 MessageTemplate op2)
```
    Logical or between two MessageTemplate objects. This method creates a new message template that is matched by those ACL messages matching any of the two message templates given as operands.
    
    Parameters:
    
    op1 - The first or operand.
    
    op2 - The second or operand.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate object.
    
    See Also:
    
    and(MessageTemplate op1, MessageTemplate op2)
  - not
```
public static MessageTemplate not(MessageTemplate op)
```
    Logical not of a MessageTemplate object. This method creates a new message template that is matched by those ACL messages not matching the message template given as operand.
    
    Parameters:
    
    op - The not operand.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new MessageTemplate object.
  - match
```
public boolean match(ACLMessage msg)
```
    Matches an ACL message against this MessageTemplate object.
    
    Parameters:
    
    msg - The ACLMessage to check for matching.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if the ACL message matches this template, false otherwise.
  - toString
```
public java.lang.String toString()
```
    Retrieve a string representation of this message template.
    
    Overrides:
    
    toString in class java.lang.Object
    
    Returns:
    
    A string describing the syntactic structure of this message template.

Class MessageTemplate

Nested Class Summary

Constructor Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Constructor Detail

MessageTemplate

Method Detail

MatchAll

MatchSender

MatchReceiver

MatchTopic

MatchContent

MatchReplyWith

MatchInReplyTo

MatchReplyTo

MatchLanguage

MatchEncoding

MatchOntology

MatchReplyByDate

MatchProtocol

MatchConversationId

MatchPerformative

MatchCustom

and

or

not

match

toString