Package org.apache.uima.cas

Interface TypeSystem

  • All Superinterfaces:
    java.lang.Iterable<Type>
    All Known Subinterfaces:
    TypeSystemMgr
    All Known Implementing Classes:
    TypeSystemImpl
    public interface TypeSystem
extends java.lang.Iterable<Type>

    The interface to the type system. Used to access information about existing types and features using their String identifiers.

    This is almost a pure access interface. Exception: the call to getArrayType actually will create a new Array Type if it doesn't already exist.

    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. Implements Iterable to allow iterating over all types

    • 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

      • PARAM_EXCLUDE_PREBUILT_TYPES

        static final java.lang.String PARAM_EXCLUDE_PREBUILT_TYPES
        Add this to the additionalParameters map to skip adding the prebuilt types to the type system. Used by applicaitons only for backwards compatibility with binary serialization forms requiring exactly matching type systems
        See Also:
        Constant Field Values

    • Method Detail

      • getType

        Type getType​(java.lang.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)
        Get or Create 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. If it doesn't exist, a new TypeImpl_array is created for it.

      • getFeatureByFullName

        Feature getFeatureByFullName​(java.lang.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

        java.util.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
java.util.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

        java.util.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

        java.util.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

        java.util.Iterator<Feature> getFeatures()
        Get a list of features, in no particular order.
        Returns:
        An iterator over the features.

      • getTypeNameSpace

        TypeNameSpace getTypeNameSpace​(java.lang.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.