org.openbp.common.generic.description
Interface DescriptionObject

All Superinterfaces:

java.lang.Comparable, Displayable, java.io.Serializable

All Known Subinterfaces:

DisplayObject, DisplayTreeObject

All Known Implementing Classes:

DescriptionObjectImpl, DisplayObjectImpl, DisplayTreeObjectImpl, ObjectDescriptor, PropertyDescriptor

public interface DescriptionObject
extends Displayable, java.lang.Comparable, java.io.Serializable

An object that has a name and a description.

Author:

Heiko Erhardt

Method Summary

java.lang.Object	clone() Creates a clone of this object.
java.lang.String	getDescription() Gets the default description of this Object.
java.lang.String	getDescriptionText() Gets text that can be used to describe this object.
java.lang.String	getDisplayText() Gets text that can be used to describe this object.
java.lang.String	getName() Gets the name of this Object.
void	setDescription(java.lang.String description) Sets the default description of this Object.
void	setName(java.lang.String name) Sets the name of this Object.

Methods inherited from interface java.lang.Comparable

compareTo

Method Detail

clone

java.lang.Object clone()
                       throws java.lang.CloneNotSupportedException

Creates a clone of this object.

Returns:

The clone (a deep copy of this object)

Throws:

java.lang.CloneNotSupportedException - If the cloning of one of the contained members failed

getName

java.lang.String getName()

Gets the name of this Object. This name is the internal name of the object (i. e. a class name).

Returns:

The name

setName

void setName(java.lang.String name)

Sets the name of this Object. This name is the internal name of the object (i. e. a class name).

Parameters:

name - The new name (may not be null)

getDescription

java.lang.String getDescription()

Gets the default description of this Object.

Returns:

The description or null if there is no description available

setDescription

void setDescription(java.lang.String description)

Sets the default description of this Object.

Parameters:

description - The new description or null

getDisplayText

java.lang.String getDisplayText()

Gets text that can be used to describe this object. By default, this is the description text as returned by the getDescription() method.

Specified by:

getDisplayText in interface Displayable

Returns:

The display text (should usually not be null)

getDescriptionText

java.lang.String getDescriptionText()

Gets text that can be used to describe this object. By default, this is the description text as returned by the getDescription() method.