com.novell.admin.ns
Class AttributeDefinition

java.lang.Object
  |
  +--com.novell.admin.ns.AttributeDefinition

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable

Direct Known Subclasses:

DefaultAttributeDefinition

public abstract class AttributeDefinition

extends java.lang.Object

implements java.io.Serializable

Default class for attribute definitions.

Objects of this type are immutable, and any extensions to this class must enforce the immutable nature.

Attributes may have lower and upper bounds associated with them. If bounds are applicable, the attribute is sized. The attribute may be hidden, indicating that any class with a hidden attribute will not return a value for such an attribute. If the attribute may contain only a single value it is said to be a single-valued attribute. The attribute may be read-only, indicating that values associated with the attribute cannot be modified.

Field Summary

protected long	lowerBound Lower bound for the attribute.
protected java.lang.String	name Name of the attribute.
protected boolean	sized Flag to indicate if the attribute is sized or not.
protected Syntax	syntax Syntax of the attribute.
protected long	upperBound Upper bound for the attribute.

Constructor Summary

AttributeDefinition(java.lang.String attrName, Syntax syntax)
Constructor that assumes the attribute is not sized.

AttributeDefinition(java.lang.String attrName, Syntax syntax, long lowerBound, long upperBound)
Constructor that assumes the attribute is sized.

Method Summary

abstract ObjectAttribute	createAttribute() Abstract factory method for creating ObjectAttributes.
boolean	equals(java.lang.Object obj) Checks to see if this definition is equal to another.
long	getLowerBound() Returns the lower bound of the attribute.
java.lang.String	getName() Returns the name of this attribute definition.
Syntax	getSyntax() Returns the Syntax of this attribute definition.
long	getUpperBound() Returns the upper bound of the attribute.
boolean	isAberrant() Check to see if the attribute behaves in some atypical manner.
abstract boolean	isHidden() Checks to see if an attribute is hidden.
abstract boolean	isReadOnly() Checks to see if an attribute is read-only.
abstract boolean	isSingleValued() Check to see if attribute is single-valued.
boolean	isSized() Checks to see if the attribute is sized.
java.lang.String	toString() Converts this attribute definition to a String.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

Field Detail

name

protected java.lang.String name

Name of the attribute.

syntax

protected Syntax syntax

Syntax of the attribute.

sized

protected boolean sized

Flag to indicate if the attribute is sized or not.

lowerBound

protected long lowerBound

Lower bound for the attribute.

The bound should be inclusive. It should also be zero if the attribute is not sized.

upperBound

protected long upperBound

Upper bound for the attribute.

The bound should be inclusive. It should also be zero if the attribute is not sized.

Constructor Detail

AttributeDefinition

public AttributeDefinition(java.lang.String attrName,
                           Syntax syntax)

Constructor that assumes the attribute is not sized.

Parameters:

syntax - Syntax for the attribute.

attrName - Name of the attribute.

AttributeDefinition

public AttributeDefinition(java.lang.String attrName,
                           Syntax syntax,
                           long lowerBound,
                           long upperBound)

Constructor that assumes the attribute is sized.

Parameters:

attrName - Name of the attribute.

syntax - Syntax for the attribute.

lowerBound - Lower bound for values associated with this attribute.

upperBound - Upper bound for values associated with this attribute.

Method Detail

getName

public java.lang.String getName()

Returns the name of this attribute definition.

Returns:

Name of the attribute definition.

toString

public java.lang.String toString()

Converts this attribute definition to a String.

Returns:

Name of the attribute definition.

Overrides:

toString in class java.lang.Object

See Also:

getName().

getSyntax

public Syntax getSyntax()

Returns the Syntax of this attribute definition.

Returns:

The syntax of the attribute definition.

isSized

public boolean isSized()

Checks to see if the attribute is sized.

Returns:

True if sized, otherwise false.

getLowerBound

public long getLowerBound()

Returns the lower bound of the attribute.

Returns:

lower bound for sized attributes.

getUpperBound

public long getUpperBound()

Returns the upper bound of the attribute.

Returns:

upper bound for sized attributes.

createAttribute

public abstract ObjectAttribute createAttribute()

Abstract factory method for creating ObjectAttributes.

This method is used to create a brand new Attribute. The returned ObjectAttribute should contain the necessary ValueComponents so that it is considered fully, but minimally, constructed.

Returns:

A newly created ObjectAttribute.

equals

public boolean equals(java.lang.Object obj)

Checks to see if this definition is equal to another.

Parameters:

obj - The other AttributeDefinition to compare this to.

Returns:

True if objects are equal, false otherwise.

Overrides:

equals in class java.lang.Object

isHidden

public abstract boolean isHidden()

Checks to see if an attribute is hidden.

Returns:

true if hidden, false otherwise.

isReadOnly

public abstract boolean isReadOnly()

Checks to see if an attribute is read-only.

Returns:

true if read-only, false otherwise.

isSingleValued

public abstract boolean isSingleValued()

Check to see if attribute is single-valued.

Returns:

true if single-value, false if multi-valued.

isAberrant

public boolean isAberrant()

Check to see if the attribute behaves in some atypical manner.

The behavior of attributes which return true are atypical and should not be handled like normal attributes. Most common are attributes that may be modified but are handled in a namespace specific manner. Most attributes should return false which is the default.

Returns:

True if aberrant, false if multivalued.