## net.sf.saxon.expr
Class SimpleExpression

    java.lang.Object
      net.sf.saxon.expr.ComputedExpression
          net.sf.saxon.expr.SimpleExpression

All Implemented Interfaces:
  Container, Expression, InstructionInfoProvider, java.io.Serializable, javax.xml.transform.SourceLocator

public abstract class SimpleExpression
extends ComputedExpression

An abstract implementation of Expression designed to make it easy to implement new expressions, in particular, expressions to support extension instructions.

See Also:
  Serialized Form

Field Summary
`protected Expression[]` `arguments`
`static Expression[]` `NO_ARGUMENTS`

Fields inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.ComputedExpression
`locationId, staticProperties`

Fields inherited from interface net.sf.saxon.expr.Expression
`EVALUATE_METHOD, ITERATE_METHOD, PROCESS_METHOD`

Constructor Summary
`SimpleExpression()` Constructor

Method Summary
`Expression` `analyze(StaticContext env, ItemType contextItemType)` Perform static analysis of an expression and its subexpressions.
`int` `computeCardinality()` Determine the static cardinality of the expression.
`int` `computeDependencies()` Compute the dependencies of an expression, as the union of the dependencies of its subexpressions.
`void` `display(int level, NamePool pool, java.io.PrintStream out)` Diagnostic print of expression structure.
`Item` `evaluateItem(XPathContext context)` Evaluate an expression as a single item.
`java.lang.String` `getExpressionType()` Return a distinguishing name for the expression, for use in diagnostics.
`ItemType` `getItemType()` Determine the data type of the items returned by this expression.
`SequenceIterator` `iterate(XPathContext context)` Return an Iterator to iterate over the values of a sequence.
`java.util.Iterator` `iterateSubExpressions()` Get the immediate sub-expressions of this expression.
`void` `process(XPathContext context)` Process the instruction, without returning any tail calls
`Expression` `promote(PromotionOffer offer)` Offer promotion for this subexpression.
`void` `setArguments(Expression[] sub)` Set the immediate sub-expressions of this expression.
`Expression` `simplify(StaticContext env)` Simplify the expression

Methods inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.ComputedExpression

`adoptChildExpression, checkPermittedContents, computeSpecialProperties, computeStaticProperties, dynamicError, dynamicError, effectiveBooleanValue, evaluateAsString, getCardinality, getColumnNumber, getConstructType, getDependencies, getExecutable, getImplementationMethod, getInstructionInfo, getIntrinsicDependencies, getLineNumber, getLocationId, getParentExpression, getPublicId, getSpecialProperties, getSystemId, markTailFunctionCalls, resetStaticProperties, setLocationId, setParentExpression, typeError, typeError`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

Field Detail

### NO_ARGUMENTS

    public static final Expression[] NO_ARGUMENTS

### arguments

    protected Expression[] arguments

Constructor Detail

### SimpleExpression

    public SimpleExpression()

  Constructor

Method Detail

### setArguments

    public void setArguments(Expression[] sub)

  Set the immediate sub-expressions of this expression.

  Parameters:
    `sub` - an array containing the sub-expressions of this expression

### iterateSubExpressions

    public java.util.Iterator iterateSubExpressions()

  Get the immediate sub-expressions of this expression.

  Specified by:
    `iterateSubExpressions` in interface `Expression`
  Overrides:
    `iterateSubExpressions` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Returns:
    an array containing the sub-expressions of this expression

### simplify

    public Expression simplify(StaticContext env)
                        throws XPathException

  Simplify the expression

  Specified by:
    `simplify` in interface `Expression`
  Overrides:
    `simplify` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Returns:
    the simplified expression
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if an error is discovered during expression rewriting

### analyze

    public Expression analyze(StaticContext env,
                              ItemType contextItemType)
                       throws XPathException

  Perform static analysis of an expression and its subexpressions.

  This checks statically that the operands of the expression have the correct type; if necessary it generates code to do run-time type checking or type conversion. A static type error is reported only if execution cannot possibly succeed, that is, if a run-time type error is inevitable. The call may return a modified form of the expression.

  This method is called after all references to functions and variables have been resolved to the declaration of the function or variable. However, the types of such functions and variables will only be accurately known if they have been explicitly declared.

  Parameters:
    `env` - the static context of the expression
    `contextItemType` - the static type of "." at the point where this expression is invoked. The parameter is set to null if it is known statically that the context item will be undefined. If the type of the context item is not known statically, the argument is set to `Type.ITEM_TYPE`
  Returns:
    the original expression, rewritten to perform necessary run-time type checks, and to perform other type-related optimizations
  Throws:
    `StaticError` - if an error is discovered during this phase (typically a type error)
    `XPathException`

### promote

    public Expression promote(PromotionOffer offer)
                       throws XPathException

  Offer promotion for this subexpression. The offer will be accepted if the subexpression is not dependent on the factors (e.g. the context item) identified in the PromotionOffer. By default the offer is not accepted - this is appropriate in the case of simple expressions such as constant values and variable references where promotion would give no performance advantage. This method is always called at compile time.

  Specified by:
    `promote` in interface `Expression`
  Overrides:
    `promote` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Parameters:
    `offer` - details of the offer, for example the offer to move expressions that don't depend on the context to an outer level in the containing expression
  Returns:
    if the offer is not accepted, return this expression unchanged. Otherwise return the result of rewriting the expression to promote this subexpression
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if any error is detected

### getItemType

    public ItemType getItemType()

  Determine the data type of the items returned by this expression. This implementation returns "item()", which can be overridden in a subclass.

  Returns:
    the data type

### computeCardinality

    public int computeCardinality()

  Determine the static cardinality of the expression. This implementation returns "zero or more", which can be overridden in a subclass.

  Specified by:
    `computeCardinality` in class `ComputedExpression`

### computeDependencies

    public int computeDependencies()

  Compute the dependencies of an expression, as the union of the dependencies of its subexpressions. (This is overridden for path expressions and filter expressions, where the dependencies of a subexpression are not all propogated). This method should be called only once, to compute the dependencies; after that, getDependencies should be used.

  Overrides:
    `computeDependencies` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Returns:
    the depencies, as a bit-mask

### evaluateItem

    public Item evaluateItem(XPathContext context)
                      throws XPathException

  Evaluate an expression as a single item. This always returns either a single Item or null (denoting the empty sequence). No conversion is done. This method should not be used unless the static type of the expression is a subtype of "item" or "item?": that is, it should not be called if the expression may return a sequence. There is no guarantee that this condition will be detected.

  Specified by:
    `evaluateItem` in interface `Expression`
  Overrides:
    `evaluateItem` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Parameters:
    `context` - The context in which the expression is to be evaluated
  Returns:
    the node or atomic value that results from evaluating the expression; or null to indicate that the result is an empty sequence
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if any dynamic error occurs evaluating the expression

### iterate

    public SequenceIterator iterate(XPathContext context)
                             throws XPathException

  Return an Iterator to iterate over the values of a sequence. The value of every expression can be regarded as a sequence, so this method is supported for all expressions. This default implementation handles iteration for expressions that return singleton values: for non-singleton expressions, the subclass must provide its own implementation.

  Specified by:
    `iterate` in interface `Expression`
  Overrides:
    `iterate` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Parameters:
    `context` - supplies the context for evaluation
  Returns:
    a SequenceIterator that can be used to iterate over the result of the expression
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if any dynamic error occurs evaluating the expression

### process

    public void process(XPathContext context)
                 throws XPathException

  Process the instruction, without returning any tail calls

  Specified by:
    `process` in interface `Expression`
  Overrides:
    `process` in class `ComputedExpression`
  Parameters:
    `context` - The dynamic context, giving access to the current node, the current variables, etc.
  Throws:
    `XPathException`

### display

    public void display(int level,
                        NamePool pool,
                        java.io.PrintStream out)

  Diagnostic print of expression structure. The expression is written to the System.err output stream

  Parameters:
    `level` - indentation level for this expression
    `out` -
    `pool` - NamePool used to expand any names appearing in the expression

### getExpressionType

    public java.lang.String getExpressionType()

  Return a distinguishing name for the expression, for use in diagnostics. By default the class name is used.