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com.bea.content
Class PropertyDefinition

java.lang.Object
com.bea.content.ContentEntity
com.bea.content.PropertyDefinition

All Implemented Interfaces

Serializable, Cloneable, Comparable<PropertyDefinition>

public class PropertyDefinition

extends ContentEntity

implements Cloneable, Comparable<PropertyDefinition>

PropertyDefinition defines the shape of a Property. It describes the Property type (binary, boolean, string, double, calendar, long, link), whether it is required, whether it is editable, the default value and restricted values, if applicable.

A PropertyDefinition may contain a PropertyChoice array. This is a list of values that may be selected for a Property's values.

Rules for a PropertyDefinition are as follows.

• If the PropertyDefinition contains a reference, it may not be multi-valued, or of types link or binary.
• If the PropertyDefinition is of type binary, it may not be multi-valued or restricted and may only have one PropertyChoice.
• If the PropertyDefinition is of type boolean, it may not be multi-valued.
• If the PropertyDefinition is of type link, it may not have PropertyChoice(s), or be set as the primary property.
• If the PropertyDefinition is restricted then the Properties of this type must have value(s) must be contained in the PropertyChoice list. For example: consider a PropertyDefinition named "color". It has PropertyChoices "blue", "green", and "red". If the PropertyDefinition is restricted then the value of a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition may not have a value that isn't "green", "red", or "blue".

An ObjectClass is defined using PropertyDefinitions. ObjectClasses can be nested within one another. As an example, consider an ObjectClass 'Address' with PropertyDefinitions for 'street', 'city', and 'zipcode'. Another ObjectClass called 'PersonalInformation' contains PropertyDefinitions for 'firstname', 'lastname', etc. Now 'PersonalInformation' can also refer to 'Address' as a "nested" ObjectClass. Those PropertyDefinitions that belong to the 'Address' ObjectClass are then considered "nested" and 'Address' is an ObjectClass that is nested in 'PersonalInformation'.

In the above example, 'PersonalInformation' is called the "root level container", and the two PropertyDefinitions 'firstname', 'lastname' are not considered nested.

Here is a code example using nested property definitions:

        // First create the nested and container ObjectClasses
        ID repId = new ID(repositoryName, null);

        // create nested type with a mandatory primary property
        PropertyDefinition[] pds = new PropertyDefinition[2];
        pds[0] = new PropertyDefinition(repId, "stringType", null, Property.STRING, false, false,
                false, false, false, null);
        pds[1] = new PropertyDefinition(repId, "primaryType", null, Property.STRING, false, false,
                true, false, true, null);
        nestedType = new ObjectClass(repId, "NestedType", pds[1], pds);
        nestedType = typeManager.addType(context, nestedType);

        // create the container ObjectClass
        pds = new PropertyDefinition[2];
        pds[0] = new PropertyDefinition(repId, "longType", null, Property.LONG, false, false,
                false, false, false, null);
        pds[1] = new PropertyDefinition(nestedType.getId(), repId, "nestedType", Property.NESTED,
                false, multiValued, "nested type");
        container = new ObjectClass(repId, "container", null, pds);
        container = typeManager.addType(context, container);

See Also

Serialized Form

Field Summary

static int	INHERITED An inherited type indicates a property definition which is a part of the object class due to the definition's object class extending another object class.
static int	NATIVE A native type indicates a property definition explicitly defined on a given object class.
static int	OVERRIDDEN An overridden type indicates a property definition which was inherited and then was further modified to override the original definition in some fashion.

Fields inherited from class com.bea.content.ContentEntity

id

Constructor Summary

PropertyDefinition(ID nestedObjectClassId, ID id, String name, int type, boolean isMandatory, boolean isMultiValued, String description)
Constructs PropertyDefinition without PropertyChoices that represents a nested ObjectClass.

PropertyDefinition(ID id, String name, String reference, int type, boolean isReadOnly, boolean isRestricted, boolean isMandatory, boolean isMultiValued, boolean isPrimary, String description)
Constructs PropertyDefinition without PropertyChoices.

PropertyDefinition(PropertyChoice[] propertyChoices, ID id, String name, String reference, int type, boolean isReadOnly, boolean isRestricted, boolean isMandatory, boolean isMultiValued, boolean isPrimary, String description)
Constructs the PropertyDefinition with all attributes.

Method Summary

Object	clone() Clones a PropertyDefinition with its property choices.
int	compareTo(PropertyDefinition pd) Implements the Comparable interface based on the property definition's name.
String	getDescription() Gets the description.
String	getName() Returns the name of this PropertyDefinition.
ObjectClass	getNestedObjectClass() Return the object class associated with this property definition if is type NESTED.
ID	getNestedObjectClassId() Gets the nested object class id that this property definition represents.
PropertyChoice[]	getPropertyChoices() Returns the array of PropertyChoices.
int	getPropertyDefinitionType() Gets the property definition type for this definition.
String	getReference() Returns a means by which instances of properties for this PropertyDefinition may be referenced.
int	getType() Gets the defined data type.
boolean	isMandatory() Returns true if a value for the Property is required.
void	isMandatory(boolean isMandatory) Set to true if a value for the Property is required, or false otherwise.
boolean	isMultiValued() Returns true if the Property can have multiple values.
void	isMultiValued(boolean isMultiValued) Set to true if the Property can have multiple values, false otherwise.
boolean	isNested() Indicates whether this PropertyDefinition belongs to an Objectclass that is nested inside another ObjectClass.
void	isNested(boolean isNested) Indicates whether this PropertyDefinition belongs to an Objectclass that is nested inside another ObjectClass.
boolean	isObjectClassReadOnly() A flag indicating if the ObjectClass is read-only because the repository does not support write operations or isn't configured to allow write access to ObjectClasses.
boolean	isPrimary() Returns true if this PropertyDefinition represents the primary PropertyDefinition for its ObjectClass.
void	isPrimary(boolean isPrimary) Set to true if this PropertyDefinition represents the primary PropertyDefinition for its ObjectClass.
boolean	isReadOnly() Returns true if a value for the Property cannot be edited.
void	isReadOnly(boolean isReadOnly) Set to true if a value for the Property cannot be edited, or false otherwise.
boolean	isRestricted() Returns true if a value for the Property is restricted to the available choices.
void	isRestricted(boolean isRestricted) Set to true if a value for the Property is restricted to the available choices, or false otherwise.
boolean	isSearchable() Returns true if a value for the Property should be searchable.
void	isSearchable(boolean isSearchable) Set to true if a value for the Property should be searchable.
boolean	isSortable() Returns true if a value for the Property should be sortable when searching.
void	setDescription(String description) Sets the description.
void	setMandatory(boolean isMandatory) Set to true if a value for the Property is required, or false otherwise.
void	setMultiValued(boolean isMultiValued) Set to true if the Property can have multiple values, false otherwise.
void	setName(String name) Sets the name of this PropertyDefinition.
void	setNested(boolean isNested) Indicates whether this PropertyDefinition belongs to an Objectclass that is nested inside another ObjectClass.
void	setObjectClassOps(ObjectClassOps objectClassOps) Deprecated No longer used.
void	setPrimary(boolean isPrimary) Set to true if this PropertyDefinition represents the primary PropertyDefinition for its ObjectClass.
void	setPropertyChoices(PropertyChoice[] propertyChoices) Sets the array of PropertyChoices.
void	setReadOnly(boolean isReadOnly) Set to true if a value for the Property cannot be edited, or false otherwise.
void	setReference(String reference) Sets a means by which all instances of properties for this PropertyDefinition may be referenced.
void	setRestricted(boolean isRestricted) Set to true if a value for the Property is restricted to the available choices, or false otherwise.
void	setSearchable(boolean isSearchable) Set to true if a value for the Property should be searchable.
void	setSortable(boolean sortable) Set to true if a value for the Property should be sortable when searching.
void	setType(int type) Sets the defined data type id.
String	toString() Returns the PropertyDefinition attributs as a String.

Methods inherited from class com.bea.content.ContentEntity

getId, setId

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

Field Detail

NATIVE

public static final int NATIVE

A native type indicates a property definition explicitly defined on a given object class. The definition was not a part of the object class via object class inheritance.

See Also

Constants Summary

INHERITED

public static final int INHERITED

An inherited type indicates a property definition which is a part of the object class due to the definition's object class extending another object class.

See Also

Constants Summary

OVERRIDDEN

public static final int OVERRIDDEN

An overridden type indicates a property definition which was inherited and then was further modified to override the original definition in some fashion.

See Also

Constants Summary

Constructor Detail

PropertyDefinition

public PropertyDefinition(PropertyChoice[] propertyChoices,
                          ID id,
                          String name,
                          String reference,
                          int type,
                          boolean isReadOnly,
                          boolean isRestricted,
                          boolean isMandatory,
                          boolean isMultiValued,
                          boolean isPrimary,
                          String description)

Constructs the PropertyDefinition with all attributes.

Parameters

propertyChoices - - available value choices for a Property that is defined by this PropertyDefinition.

id - - the unique id for this PropertyDefinition

name - - the name of this PropertyDefinition that is unique relative to its ObjectClass.

reference - - an external reference for all Properties defined by this PropertyDefinition. In the WLP Repository, this is the column name for an explicit property.

type - - the type of this PropertyDefinition.

isReadOnly - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition is intended to not be writable, false otherwise.

isRestricted - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition may only contain value(s) defined in this PropertyDefinitions PropertyChoice array, false otherwise

isMandatory - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition must contain a non-null value and in the case of a String must not be empty, false otherwise

isMultiValued - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition may contain multiple values, false otherwise.

isPrimary - - true if the PropertyDefinition is the Primary PropertyDefinition for the ObjectClass.

description - - a description of this PropertyDefinition.

PropertyDefinition

public PropertyDefinition(ID id,
                          String name,
                          String reference,
                          int type,
                          boolean isReadOnly,
                          boolean isRestricted,
                          boolean isMandatory,
                          boolean isMultiValued,
                          boolean isPrimary,
                          String description)

Constructs PropertyDefinition without PropertyChoices.

Parameters

id - - the unique id for this PropertyDefinition

name - - the name of this PropertyDefinition that is unique relative to its ObjectClass.

reference - - an external reference for all Properties defined by this PropertyDefinition. In the WLP Repository, this is the column name for an explicit property.

type - - the type of this PropertyDefinition.

isReadOnly - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition is intended to not be writable, false otherwise.

isRestricted - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition may only contain value(s) defined in this PropertyDefinitions PropertyChoice array, false otherwise

isMandatory - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition must contain a non-null value and in the case of a String must not be empty, false otherwise.

isMultiValued - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition may contain multiple values, false otherwise.

isPrimary - - true if the PropertyDefinition is the Primary PropertyDefinition for the ObjectClass.

description - - a description of this PropertyDefinition.

PropertyDefinition

public PropertyDefinition(ID nestedObjectClassId,
                          ID id,
                          String name,
                          int type,
                          boolean isMandatory,
                          boolean isMultiValued,
                          String description)

Constructs PropertyDefinition without PropertyChoices that represents a nested ObjectClass. There is no way to set propertyChoices, isReadOnly, reference, isRestricted, or isPrimary variables, as they have to be null or false for a nested type.

Parameters

nestedObjectClassId - - the unique id of the nested ObjectClass that this PropertyDefinition represents.

id - - the unique id for this PropertyDefinition

name - - the name of this PropertyDefinition that is unique relative to its ObjectClass.

type - - the type of this PropertyDefinition.

isMandatory - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition must contain a non-null value and in the case of a String must not be empty, false otherwise.

isMultiValued - - true if a Property defined by this PropertyDefinition may contain multiple values, false otherwise.

description - - a description of this PropertyDefinition.

Method Detail

getDescription

public String getDescription()

Gets the description.

Returns

The description.

setDescription

public void setDescription(String description)

Sets the description.

Parameters

description - The description.

getPropertyChoices

public PropertyChoice[] getPropertyChoices()

Returns the array of PropertyChoices.

Returns

The array of property choices for this property definition or null if there aren't any.

setPropertyChoices

public void setPropertyChoices(PropertyChoice[] propertyChoices)

Sets the array of PropertyChoices.

Parameters

propertyChoices - The property choices for this property definition.

getName

public String getName()

Returns the name of this PropertyDefinition. If this is a nested type, the name will reflect the nested hierarchy with Property.NESTED_DELIMITER between each parent and child property definition name. The delimiter is not valid for use within the actual name, only to seperate the parent/child names.

Returns

The name of this property definition.

setName

public void setName(String name)

Sets the name of this PropertyDefinition. If this is a nested type, the name will reflect the nested hierarchy with Property.NESTED_DELIMITER between each parent and child property definition name. The delimiter is not valid for use within the actual name, only to seperate the parent/child names.

Parameters

name - The name of this property definition.

getReference

public String getReference()

Returns a means by which instances of properties for this PropertyDefinition may be referenced. In the WLP Repository, this is the column name for an explicit property. The property will be stored in the CM_NODE table as opposed to the CM_PROPERTY table. Please see the product documentation for further details about explicit properties.

Returns

The reference value. A null value means that instances of this property definition are not referenced.

setReference

public void setReference(String reference)

Sets a means by which all instances of properties for this PropertyDefinition may be referenced. In the WLP Repository, this is the column name for an explicit property. The property will be stored in the CM_NODE table as opposed to the CM_PROPERTY table. Please see the product documentation for further details about explicit properties.

Parameters

reference - The reference value. A null value means that instances of this property definition are not referenced.

getType

public int getType()

Gets the defined data type. See constants defined in Property for the valid types.

Returns

The data type.

setType

public void setType(int type)

Sets the defined data type id. See constants defined in Property for the valid types.

Parameters

type - The data type.

setObjectClassOps

@Deprecated
public void setObjectClassOps(ObjectClassOps objectClassOps)

Deprecated No longer used.

Sets the ObjectClassOps to perform objectclass lookup for a nested property. This method exists for VCR usage.

Parameters

objectClassOps - The objectClassOps of the SPI for this repository.

getNestedObjectClass

public ObjectClass getNestedObjectClass()
                                 throws RepositoryException

Return the object class associated with this property definition if is type NESTED.

Returns

The object class associated with this property definition if is type NESTED.

Throws

RepositoryException - If this operation fails.

getNestedObjectClassId

public ID getNestedObjectClassId()

Gets the nested object class id that this property definition represents.

Returns

The nested object class id or null if this property definition isn't a type of Property.NESTED

getPropertyDefinitionType

public int getPropertyDefinitionType()

Gets the property definition type for this definition. This will be one of NATIVE, INHERITED or OVERRIDDEN. This is system managed and therefore is not settable.

Returns

The property definition type.

isReadOnly

public boolean isReadOnly()

Returns true if a value for the Property cannot be edited.

Returns

True if the property is read-only.

isReadOnly

public void isReadOnly(boolean isReadOnly)

Set to true if a value for the Property cannot be edited, or false otherwise.

Parameters

isReadOnly - True if the property is read-only.

setReadOnly

public void setReadOnly(boolean isReadOnly)

Set to true if a value for the Property cannot be edited, or false otherwise.

Parameters

isReadOnly - True if the property is read-only.

isRestricted

public boolean isRestricted()

Returns true if a value for the Property is restricted to the available choices.

Returns

True if the proeprty value(s) is/are restricted.

isRestricted

public void isRestricted(boolean isRestricted)

Set to true if a value for the Property is restricted to the available choices, or false otherwise.

Parameters

isRestricted - True if the property value(s) is/are restricted.

setRestricted

public void setRestricted(boolean isRestricted)

Set to true if a value for the Property is restricted to the available choices, or false otherwise.

Parameters

isRestricted - True if the property value(s) is/are restricted.

isMultiValued

public boolean isMultiValued()

Returns true if the Property can have multiple values.

Returns

True if the property can have multiple values.

isMultiValued

public void isMultiValued(boolean isMultiValued)

Set to true if the Property can have multiple values, false otherwise.

Parameters

isMultiValued - True if the property can have multiple values.

setMultiValued

public void setMultiValued(boolean isMultiValued)

Set to true if the Property can have multiple values, false otherwise.

Parameters

isMultiValued - True if the property can have multiple values.

isMandatory

public boolean isMandatory()

Returns true if a value for the Property is required.

Returns

True if the property requires a value.

isMandatory

public void isMandatory(boolean isMandatory)

Set to true if a value for the Property is required, or false otherwise.

Parameters

isMandatory - True if the property requires a value.

setMandatory

public void setMandatory(boolean isMandatory)

Set to true if a value for the Property is required, or false otherwise.

Parameters

isMandatory - True if the property requires a value.

isSortable

public boolean isSortable()

Returns true if a value for the Property should be sortable when searching. Defaults to the value of isSearchable() if not explicitly set. The VCR will override an SPI response if the repository is configured to not be searchable. In that case, this will always return false.

Returns

True if properties should be sortable by the repository.

setSortable

public void setSortable(boolean sortable)

Set to true if a value for the Property should be sortable when searching. Defaults to the value of isSearchable() if not explicitly set. This value may be ignored by the underlying repository if it cannot support sorting on properties of this type. The value of the isSortable()} call will be accurate when the PropertyDefinition is retrieved.

Parameters

sortable - True if properties should be sortable.

isSearchable

public boolean isSearchable()

Returns true if a value for the Property should be searchable.

Returns

True if properties should be indexed by the repository's full-text search implementation. The VCR will override an SPI response if the repository is configured to not be searchable. In that case, this will always return false.

isSearchable

public void isSearchable(boolean isSearchable)

Set to true if a value for the Property should be searchable. This value may be ignored by the underlying repository if it cannot support searching on properties of this type. The value of the isSearchable()} call will be accurate when the PropertyDefinition is retrieved.

Parameters

isSearchable - True if properties should be indexed by the repository's full-text search implementation.

setSearchable

public void setSearchable(boolean isSearchable)

Set to true if a value for the Property should be searchable. This value may be ignored by the underlying repository if it cannot support searching on properties of this type. The value of the isSearchable()} call will be accurate when the PropertyDefinition is retrieved.

Parameters

isSearchable - True if properties should be indexed by the repository's full-text search implementation.

isNested

public boolean isNested()

Indicates whether this PropertyDefinition belongs to an Objectclass that is nested inside another ObjectClass. A code example using nested PropertyDefinitions is provided in this class level javadoc.

Returns

True if this property definition is nested.

isNested

public void isNested(boolean isNested)

Indicates whether this PropertyDefinition belongs to an Objectclass that is nested inside another ObjectClass. A code example using nested PropertyDefinitions is provided in this class level javadoc.

Parameters

isNested - True if this property definition is nested.

setNested

public void setNested(boolean isNested)

Indicates whether this PropertyDefinition belongs to an Objectclass that is nested inside another ObjectClass. A code example using nested PropertyDefinitions is provided in this class level javadoc.

Parameters

isNested - True if this property definition is nested.

isPrimary

public boolean isPrimary()

Returns true if this PropertyDefinition represents the primary PropertyDefinition for its ObjectClass. There may only be one primary PropertyDefinition per ObjectClass. The ObjectClass holds the true relationship to the primary PropertyDefinition. This is an indicator to describe that relationship.

Returns

True if this properfy definition is the primary property definition for its containing object class.

isPrimary

public void isPrimary(boolean isPrimary)

Set to true if this PropertyDefinition represents the primary PropertyDefinition for its ObjectClass. There may only be one primary PropertyDefinition per ObjectClass. The ObjectClass holds the true relationship to the primary PropertyDefinition. This is an indicator to describe that relationship.

Parameters

isPrimary - True if this properfy definition is the primary property definition for its containing object class.

setPrimary

public void setPrimary(boolean isPrimary)

Set to true if this PropertyDefinition represents the primary PropertyDefinition for its ObjectClass. There may only be one primary PropertyDefinition per ObjectClass. The ObjectClass holds the true relationship to the primary PropertyDefinition. This is an indicator to describe that relationship.

Parameters

isPrimary - True if this properfy definition is the primary property definition for its containing object class.

toString

public String toString()

Returns the PropertyDefinition attributs as a String.

Overrides:

toString in class ContentEntity

isObjectClassReadOnly

public boolean isObjectClassReadOnly()

A flag indicating if the ObjectClass is read-only because the repository does not support write operations or isn't configured to allow write access to ObjectClasses. If an ObjectClass is read-only, then calling a setter on the ObjectClass or one of its dependent objects (e.g. PropertyDefinition) will thrown a RepositoryRuntimeException when the setter is called.

Returns

true if the ObjectClass is read-only.

clone

public Object clone()
             throws CloneNotSupportedException

Clones a PropertyDefinition with its property choices. Note that binary property choice streams are not cloned, but merely copied.

Overrides:

clone in class ContentEntity

Returns

A clone of the PropertyDefinition.

Throws

CloneNotSupportedException - If the clone fails.

compareTo

public int compareTo(PropertyDefinition pd)

Implements the Comparable interface based on the property definition's name.

Specified by:

compareTo in interface Comparable<PropertyDefinition>

Parameters

pd - The property definition to compare to.

Returns

a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object is less than, equal to, or greater than the specified object.