org.apache.uima.cas

Interface TypeSystem

All Known Subinterfaces:

TypeSystemMgr

public interface TypeSystem

The interface to the type system. Used to access information about existing types and features using their String identifiers. This is a pure access interface. Types and features are defined using Component Descriptors, written in XML.

Get the type system from a CAS object with getTypeSystem().

There are a few methods to list the existing types in a type system. Information about which feature is appropriate for which type is available through the Type and Feature classes.

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
static char	FEATURE_SEPARATOR This is the character that separates a type name from a feature name.
static char	NAMESPACE_SEPARATOR This is the character that separates name spaces.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
Type	getArrayType(Type componentType) Obtain an array type with component type componentType.
Vector<Type>	getDirectlySubsumedTypes(Type type) Deprecated. Use getDirectSubtypes(Type) instead.
List<Type>	getDirectSubtypes(Type type) Get a List of the types directly subsumed by a given type.
Feature	getFeatureByFullName(String featureName) Get a feature object for a given name.
Iterator<Feature>	getFeatures() Get a list of features, in no particular order.
org.apache.uima.cas.impl.LowLevelTypeSystem	getLowLevelTypeSystem() Return the low-level view of this type system.
Type	getParent(Type type) Get the parent type for input type.
List<Type>	getProperlySubsumedTypes(Type type) Return the list of all types subsumed by the input type.
Type	getTopType() Get the top type, i.e., the root of the type system.
Type	getType(String typeName) Get a type object for a given type name.
Iterator<Type>	getTypeIterator() Get an iterator over all types, in no particular order.
TypeNameSpace	getTypeNameSpace(String name) Create a type name space object for the name parameter.
boolean	subsumes(Type superType, Type subType) Does one type inherit from the other?

Field Detail

FEATURE_SEPARATOR

static final char FEATURE_SEPARATOR

This is the character that separates a type name from a feature name. Ex.: uima.cas.Annotation:begin.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

NAMESPACE_SEPARATOR

static final char NAMESPACE_SEPARATOR

This is the character that separates name spaces. Ex.: uima.cas.Annotation

See Also:

Constant Field Values

Method Detail

getType

Type getType(String typeName)

Get a type object for a given type name. See documentation on type names.

Parameters:

typeName - The name of the type.

Returns:

A type object, or null if no such type exists.

getArrayType

Type getArrayType(Type componentType)

Obtain an array type with component type componentType.

Parameters:

componentType - The type of the elements of the resulting array type. This can be any type, even another array type.

Returns:

The array type with the corresponding component type.

getFeatureByFullName

Feature getFeatureByFullName(String featureName)

Get a feature object for a given name. See documentation on feature names.

Parameters:

featureName - The fully qualified name of the feature.

Returns:

An feature object, or null if no such feature exists.

getTypeIterator

Iterator<Type> getTypeIterator()

Get an iterator over all types, in no particular order.

Returns:

The iterator.

getTopType

Type getTopType()

Get the top type, i.e., the root of the type system.

Returns:

The top type.

getDirectlySubsumedTypes

@Deprecated
Vector<Type> getDirectlySubsumedTypes(Type type)

Deprecated. Use getDirectSubtypes(Type) instead.

Get a vector of the types directly subsumed by a given type.

Parameters:

type - The input type.

Returns:

A vector of the directly subsumed types.

getDirectSubtypes

List<Type> getDirectSubtypes(Type type)

Get a List of the types directly subsumed by a given type.

Parameters:

type - The input type.

Returns:

A List of the directly subsumed types.

getProperlySubsumedTypes

List<Type> getProperlySubsumedTypes(Type type)

Return the list of all types subsumed by the input type. Note: the list does not include the type itself.

Parameters:

type - Input type.

Returns:

The list of types subsumed by type.

getParent

Type getParent(Type type)

Get the parent type for input type.

Parameters:

type - The type we want to know the parent of.

Returns:

The parent type, or null for the top type.

subsumes

boolean subsumes(Type superType,
                 Type subType)

Does one type inherit from the other?

Parameters:

superType - Supertype.

subType - Subtype.

Returns:

true iff sub inherits from super.

getFeatures

Iterator<Feature> getFeatures()

Get a list of features, in no particular order.

Returns:

An iterator over the features.

getTypeNameSpace

TypeNameSpace getTypeNameSpace(String name)

Create a type name space object for the name parameter.

Parameters:

name - The name of the name space.

Returns:

A TypeNameSpace object corresponding to name, or null, if name is not a legal type name space identifier.

getLowLevelTypeSystem

org.apache.uima.cas.impl.LowLevelTypeSystem getLowLevelTypeSystem()

Return the low-level view of this type system.

Returns:

The LowLevelTypeSystem version of this type system.