org.exolab.castor.mapping

Interface FieldDescriptor

Known Subinterfaces:
XMLFieldDescriptor
Known Implementing Classes:
DelegateFieldDescriptor, FieldDescriptorImpl, JDOFieldDescriptor, XMLFieldDescriptorImpl, XMLMappingLoader.ContainerElementFieldDescriptor

public interface FieldDescriptor

Describes the properties of a field. Implementations will extend this inteface to provide additional properties.

Version:
$Revision: 1.1.1.1 $ $Date: 2003/03/03 07:08:26 $

Author:
Assaf Arkin

See Also:
FieldHandler

Method Summary

ClassDescriptor
getClassDescriptor()
Returns the class descriptor related to the field type.
ClassDescriptor
getContainingClassDescriptor()
String
getFieldName()
Returns the name of the field.
Class
getFieldType()
Returns the Java type of the field.
FieldHandler
getHandler()
Returns the handler of the field.
boolean
isImmutable()
Returns true if the field type is immutable.
boolean
isMultivalued()
Returns true if the field is multi valued (a collection).
boolean
isRequired()
Returns true if the field type is required.
boolean
isTransient()
Returns true if the field is transient.
void
setContainingClassDescriptor(ClassDescriptor contClsDesc)
Set the class which contains this field

Method Details

getClassDescriptor

public ClassDescriptor getClassDescriptor()
Returns the class descriptor related to the field type. If the field type is a class for which a descriptor exists, this descriptor is returned. If the field type is a class for which no mapping is provided, null is returned.

Returns:
The class descriptor of the field type, or null


getContainingClassDescriptor

public ClassDescriptor getContainingClassDescriptor()

Returns:
the class which contains this field


getFieldName

public String getFieldName()
Returns the name of the field.

Returns:
Field name


getFieldType

public Class getFieldType()
Returns the Java type of the field.

Returns:
Field type


getHandler

public FieldHandler getHandler()
Returns the handler of the field. In order to persist or marshal a field descriptor will be associated with a handler.

Returns:
The field handler


isImmutable

public boolean isImmutable()
Returns true if the field type is immutable.

Returns:
True if the field type is immutable


isMultivalued

public boolean isMultivalued()
Returns true if the field is multi valued (a collection).

Returns:
True if the field is multi valued


isRequired

public boolean isRequired()
Returns true if the field type is required.

Returns:
True if the field type is required


isTransient

public boolean isTransient()
Returns true if the field is transient. Transient fields are never persisted or marshalled.

Returns:
True if transient field


setContainingClassDescriptor

public void setContainingClassDescriptor(ClassDescriptor contClsDesc)
Set the class which contains this field


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