com.connecterra.ale.dynamicconfig.api
Interface PluginParameterMeta

public interface PluginParameterMeta

Describes a configuration parameter of a plugin. A parameter represented by PluginParameterMeta has the following attributes:

• Key name that uniquely identifies the parameter from its siblings
• Display name
• Type of the parameter
• Short description
• Boolean indicating if this parameter may have multiple values.
• Boolean indicating whether it is a required parameter or not
• Default value that will be used if the user does not explicitly specify a value
• Parameter constraint to further constrain parameter values

A PluginParameterMeta may represent a group of parameters. For example, all configuration parameters for a subdevice may be grouped together. In this case, the PluginParameterMeta representing the parameter group will have child parameters, each of which will represent one configuration parameter of the subdevice.

Complex parameters like tables are also supported by PluginParameterMeta. This is treated as a separate group from the child parameters and have separate accessor methods.

Nested Class Summary

static interface

PluginParameterMeta.Type Supported parameter types.

Method Summary

void	addChildParameterMeta(PluginParameterMeta parameterMeta) Adds a parameter to this parameter's child parameter list.
PluginParameterMeta	getChildParameterMeta(String keyName) Finds and returns the child parameter with the given key.
List	getChildParameterMetaList() Returns the child parameters as a list of PluginParameterMeta.
Object	getDefaultParameterValue() Returns the default value for this parameter.
String	getDescription() Returns a short description of the parameter.
String	getDisplayName() Returns the display name of this parameter.
String	getKeyName() Returns the unique key name that identifies this parameter from its siblings.
PluginParameterConstraint	getParameterConstraint() Returns PluginParameterConstraint for additional constraints, if any, on the parameter.
PluginParameterMeta	getTableColumnParameterMeta(String keyName) Finds and returns the table column parameter with the given key name.
List	getTableColumnParameterMetaList() Returns list of parameter metas for the columns of the table that this parameter could contain.
String	getType() Returns the PluginParameterMeta.Type identifying the data type of the parameter.
boolean	hasMultipleValues() Returns true is this parameter may have multiple values, false otherwise.
boolean	isRequired() Returns true if this is a required parameter, false otherwise.
void	setChildParameterMetaList(List parameterMetaList) Sets the child parameters of this parameter.
void	setDefaultParameterValue(Object value) Specifies the default value for this parameter.
void	setDescription(String description) Specifies a short description for the parameter.
void	setHasMultipleValues(boolean hasMultiple) Specifies whether this parameter may have multiple values.
void	setParameterConstraint(PluginParameterConstraint parameterConstraint) Specifies additional constraints on values of this parameter through a PluginParameterConstraint.
void	setRequired(boolean required) Specifies if this is a required or optional parameter.
void	setTableColumnParameterMetaList(List columnMetas) Sets the column parameter metas for the table that this parameter could contain.
void	validate(StringBuffer buffer, PluginConfigParameter configParameter) Validates a PluginConfigParameter containing a value for this parameter.

Method Detail

getKeyName

String getKeyName()

Returns the unique key name that identifies this parameter from its siblings.

Returns:

unique key name of this parameter

getDisplayName

String getDisplayName()

Returns the display name of this parameter. This is typically an internationalized value.

Returns:

the display name of this parameter

getType

String getType()

Returns the PluginParameterMeta.Type identifying the data type of the parameter.

Returns:

the PluginParameterMeta.Type of the parameter

getDescription

String getDescription()

Returns a short description of the parameter. This may be used to provide more information to users; for example, as tooltips in GUIs.

Returns:

a short description of the parameter

setDescription

void setDescription(String description)

Specifies a short description for the parameter. This should be an internationalized string. This may be used to provide more information to users; for example, as tooltips in GUIs.

Parameters:

description - a short description of the parameter

isRequired

boolean isRequired()

Returns true if this is a required parameter, false otherwise.

Returns:

true if this is a required parameter, false otherwise

setRequired

void setRequired(boolean required)

Specifies if this is a required or optional parameter.

Parameters:

required - boolean indicating if this is a required parameter. Pass in true if this is a required parameter, false otherwise.

hasMultipleValues

boolean hasMultipleValues()

Returns true is this parameter may have multiple values, false otherwise.

Returns:

True is this parameter may have multiple values, false otherwise

setHasMultipleValues

void setHasMultipleValues(boolean hasMultiple)

Specifies whether this parameter may have multiple values.

Parameters:

hasMultiple - boolean indicating if this parameter may have multiple values. Pass in true if this parameter could have multiple values. False if this parameter must have only one value.

getDefaultParameterValue

Object getDefaultParameterValue()

Returns the default value for this parameter. This value will be used if no value is explicitly specified for the parameter.

Returns:

the default parameter value, or null if there is no default

setDefaultParameterValue

void setDefaultParameterValue(Object value)

Specifies the default value for this parameter. This value will be used if no value is explicitly specified for the parameter.

Parameters:

value - the default value

getParameterConstraint

PluginParameterConstraint getParameterConstraint()

Returns PluginParameterConstraint for additional constraints, if any, on the parameter. This returns null if the parameter has no additional constraints.

Numeric value must be in a given range is an example of a constraint that may be enforced by PluginParameterConstraint.

Returns:

PluginParameterConstraint representing additional constraints, if any, on the parameter

setParameterConstraint

void setParameterConstraint(PluginParameterConstraint parameterConstraint)

Specifies additional constraints on values of this parameter through a PluginParameterConstraint.

Parameters:

parameterConstraint - PluginParameterConstraint that enforces additional constraints on values of this parameter

getChildParameterMetaList

List getChildParameterMetaList()

Returns the child parameters as a list of PluginParameterMeta. Returns empty list of this parameter does not have any children.

A parameter will have child parameters if it represents a parameter group.

Returns:

the child parameters as a list of PluginParameterMeta. Returns empty list of this parameter does not have any children.

setChildParameterMetaList

void setChildParameterMetaList(List parameterMetaList)

Sets the child parameters of this parameter. A parameter will have child parameters if it represents a parameter group.

Parameters:

parameterMetaList - list of PluginParameterMeta for the child parameters

addChildParameterMeta

void addChildParameterMeta(PluginParameterMeta parameterMeta)

Adds a parameter to this parameter's child parameter list. The parameter will be added at the end of the list.

Parameters:

parameterMeta - the new child parameter that is to be added to this parameter's child list

getChildParameterMeta

PluginParameterMeta getChildParameterMeta(String keyName)
                                          throws NoSuchNameException

Finds and returns the child parameter with the given key. This method only looks at the PluginParameterMetas that are direct children of this PluginParameterMeta; it will not match the given key with the key names of the descendants that are not direct children of this PluginConfig.

Parameters:

keyName - the key name of the child parameter that is to be found

Returns:

the child parameter with the given key

Throws:

NoSuchNameException - if this parameter does not have a child parameter with the given key

getTableColumnParameterMetaList

List getTableColumnParameterMetaList()

Returns list of parameter metas for the columns of the table that this parameter could contain.

Returns:

list of parameter metas for the columns of the table that this parameter could contain. Returns an empty list if this parameter cannot contain a table.

getTableColumnParameterMeta

PluginParameterMeta getTableColumnParameterMeta(String keyName)
                                                throws NoSuchNameException

Finds and returns the table column parameter with the given key name.

Parameters:

keyName - the key name of the column parameter that is to be found

Returns:

the column parameter with the given name

Throws:

NoSuchNameException - if this parameter does not have a table column with the given name

setTableColumnParameterMetaList

void setTableColumnParameterMetaList(List columnMetas)

Sets the column parameter metas for the table that this parameter could contain.

Parameters:

columnMetas - list of PluginParameterMeta for the table columns

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if any types disallowed for table columns are used. Only string and numeric types are allowed currently

validate

void validate(StringBuffer buffer,
              PluginConfigParameter configParameter)

Validates a PluginConfigParameter containing a value for this parameter. This will validate the value specified for this parameter based on required and has-multiple attributes as well as using any parameter constraints specified. This will also recurse through all its children parameters and table parameters to validate that the values specified on those are valid as well.

Parameters:

buffer - Validation error messages, if any, will be appended in to this string buffer.

configParameter - the PluginConfigParameter containing the value for this parameter