Module java.desktop
Package java.beans

Class 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.

    Since:
    1.1

    • Constructor Summary

      Constructors 
      Constructor Description
      FeatureDescriptor()
      Constructs a FeatureDescriptor.

    • Method Summary

      All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods 
      Modifier and Type Method Description
      Enumeration<String> attributeNames()
      Gets an enumeration of the locale-independent names of this feature.
      String getDisplayName()
      Gets the localized display name of this feature.
      String getName()
      Gets the programmatic name of this feature.
      String getShortDescription()
      Gets the short description of this feature.
      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)
      Sets the localized display name of this feature.
      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)
      Sets the programmatic name of this feature.
      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.
      String toString()
      Returns a string representation of the object.

    • Constructor Detail

      • FeatureDescriptor

        public FeatureDescriptor()
        Constructs a FeatureDescriptor.

    • Method Detail

      • getName

        public String getName()
        Gets the programmatic name of this feature.
        Returns:
        The programmatic name of the property/method/event

      • setName

        public void setName​(String name)
        Sets the programmatic name of this feature.
        Parameters:
        name - The programmatic name of the property/method/event

      • getDisplayName

        public String getDisplayName()
        Gets the localized display name of this feature.
        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)
        Sets the localized display name of this feature.
        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.
        Since:
        1.2

      • 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.
        Since:
        1.2

      • getShortDescription

        public String getShortDescription()
        Gets the short description of this feature.
        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<String> attributeNames()
        Gets an enumeration of the locale-independent names of this feature.
        Returns:
        An enumeration of the locale-independent names of any attributes that have been registered with setValue.

      • toString

        public String toString()
        Returns a string representation of the object.
        Overrides:
        toString in class Object
        Returns:
        a string representation of the object
        Since:
        1.7