## org.apache.commons.configuration.beanutils
Class XMLBeanDeclaration

    java.lang.Object
      org.apache.commons.configuration.beanutils.XMLBeanDeclaration

All Implemented Interfaces:
  BeanDeclaration

Direct Known Subclasses:
  DefaultConfigurationBuilder.ConfigurationDeclaration

    public class XMLBeanDeclaration

extends Object
implements BeanDeclaration

An implementation of the `BeanDeclaration` interface that is suitable for XML configuration files.

This class defines the standard layout of a bean declaration in an XML configuration file. Such a declaration must look like the following example fragement:

       ...
       <personBean config-class="my.model.PersonBean"
           lastName="Doe" firstName="John">
           <address config-class="my.model.AddressBean"
               street="21st street 11" zip="1234"
               city="TestCity"/>
       </personBean>

The bean declaration can be contained in an arbitrary element. Here it is the `<personBean>` element. In the attributes of this element there can occur some reserved attributes, which have the following meaning:

`config-class`
  Here the full qualified name of the bean's class can be specified. An instance of this class will be created. If this attribute is not specified, the bean class must be provided in another way, e.g. as the `defaultClass` passed to the `BeanHelper` class.
`config-factory`
  This attribute can contain the name of the ``BeanFactory`` that should be used for creating the bean. If it is defined, a factory with this name must have been registered at the `BeanHelper` class. If this attribute is missing, the default bean factory will be used.
`config-factoryParam`
  With this attribute a parameter can be specified that will be passed to the bean factory. This may be useful for custom bean factories.

All further attributes starting with the `config-` prefix are considered as meta data and will be ignored. All other attributes are treated as properties of the bean to be created, i.e. corresponding setter methods of the bean will be invoked with the values specified here.

If the bean to be created has also some complex properties (which are itself beans), their values cannot be initialized from attributes. For this purpose nested elements can be used. The example listing shows how an address bean can be initialized. This is done in a nested element whose name must match the name of a property of the enclosing bean declaration. The format of this nested element is exactly the same as for the bean declaration itself, i.e. it can have attributes defining meta data or bean properties and even further nested elements for complex bean properties.

A `XMLBeanDeclaration` object is usually created from a `HierarchicalConfiguration`. From this it will derive a `SubnodeConfiguration`, which is used to access the needed properties. This subnode configuration can be obtained using the ``getConfiguration()`` method. All of its properties can be accessed in the usual way. To ensure that the property keys used by this class are understood by the configuration, the default expression engine will be set.

Since:
  1.3
Version:
  $Id: XMLBeanDeclaration.java 439648 2006-09-02 20:42:10Z oheger $
Author:
  Oliver Heger

Field Summary
`static String` `ATTR_BEAN_CLASS` Constant for the bean class attribute.
`static String` `ATTR_BEAN_FACTORY` Constant for the bean factory attribute.
`static String` `ATTR_FACTORY_PARAM` Constant for the bean factory parameter attribute.
`static String` `ATTR_PREFIX` Constant for the prefix for reserved attributes.
`static String` `RESERVED_PREFIX` Constant for the prefix of reserved attributes.

Constructor Summary
`XMLBeanDeclaration(HierarchicalConfiguration config)` Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it from the given configuration.
`XMLBeanDeclaration(HierarchicalConfiguration config, String key)` Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it from the given configuration.
`XMLBeanDeclaration(HierarchicalConfiguration config, String key, boolean optional)` Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it from the given configuration.
`XMLBeanDeclaration(SubnodeConfiguration config, ConfigurationNode node)` Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it with the configuration node that contains the bean declaration.

Method Summary
`String` `getBeanClassName()` Returns the name of the class of the bean to be created.
`String` `getBeanFactoryName()` Returns the name of the bean factory.
`Object` `getBeanFactoryParameter()` Returns a parameter for the bean factory.
`Map` `getBeanProperties()` Returns a map with the bean's (simple) properties.
`SubnodeConfiguration` `getConfiguration()` Returns the configuration object this bean declaration is based on.
`Map` `getNestedBeanDeclarations()` Returns a map with bean declarations for the complex properties of the bean to be created.
`ConfigurationNode` `getNode()` Returns the node that contains the bean declaration.
`protected Object` `interpolate(Object value)` Performs interpolation for the specified value.
`protected boolean` `isReservedNode(ConfigurationNode nd)` Checks if the specified node is reserved and thus should be ignored.

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

Field Detail

### RESERVED_PREFIX

    public static final String RESERVED_PREFIX

  Constant for the prefix of reserved attributes.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

### ATTR_PREFIX

    public static final String ATTR_PREFIX

  Constant for the prefix for reserved attributes.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

### ATTR_BEAN_CLASS

    public static final String ATTR_BEAN_CLASS

  Constant for the bean class attribute.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

### ATTR_BEAN_FACTORY

    public static final String ATTR_BEAN_FACTORY

  Constant for the bean factory attribute.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

### ATTR_FACTORY_PARAM

    public static final String ATTR_FACTORY_PARAM

  Constant for the bean factory parameter attribute.

  See Also:
    Constant Field Values

Constructor Detail

### XMLBeanDeclaration

    public XMLBeanDeclaration(HierarchicalConfiguration config,
                              String key)

  Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it from the given configuration. The passed in key points to the bean declaration.

  Parameters:
    `config` - the configuration
    `key` - the key to the bean declaration (this key must point to exactly one bean declaration or a `IllegalArgumentException` exception will be thrown)

### XMLBeanDeclaration

    public XMLBeanDeclaration(HierarchicalConfiguration config,
                              String key,
                              boolean optional)

  Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it from the given configuration. The passed in key points to the bean declaration. If the key does not exist and the boolean argument is true, the declaration is initialized with an empty configuration. It is possible to create objects from such an empty declaration if a default class is provided. If the key on the other hand has multiple values or is undefined and the boolean argument is false, a `IllegalArgumentException` exception will be thrown.

  Parameters:
    `config` - the configuration
    `key` - the key to the bean declaration
    `optional` - a flag whether this declaration is optional; if set to true, no exception will be thrown if the passed in key is undefined

### XMLBeanDeclaration

    public XMLBeanDeclaration(HierarchicalConfiguration config)

  Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it from the given configuration. The configuration's root node must contain the bean declaration.

  Parameters:
    `config` - the configuration with the bean declaration

### XMLBeanDeclaration

    public XMLBeanDeclaration(SubnodeConfiguration config,
                              ConfigurationNode node)

  Creates a new instance of `XMLBeanDeclaration` and initializes it with the configuration node that contains the bean declaration.

  Parameters:
    `config` - the configuration
    `node` - the node with the bean declaration.

Method Detail

### getConfiguration

    public SubnodeConfiguration getConfiguration()

  Returns the configuration object this bean declaration is based on.

  Returns:
    the associated configuration

### getNode

    public ConfigurationNode getNode()

  Returns the node that contains the bean declaration.

  Returns:
    the configuration node this bean declaration is based on

### getBeanFactoryName

    public String getBeanFactoryName()

  Returns the name of the bean factory. This information is fetched from the `config-factory` attribute.

  Specified by:
    `getBeanFactoryName` in interface `BeanDeclaration`
  Returns:
    the name of the bean factory

### getBeanFactoryParameter

    public Object getBeanFactoryParameter()

  Returns a parameter for the bean factory. This information is fetched from the `config-factoryParam` attribute.

  Specified by:
    `getBeanFactoryParameter` in interface `BeanDeclaration`
  Returns:
    the parameter for the bean factory

### getBeanClassName

    public String getBeanClassName()

  Returns the name of the class of the bean to be created. This information is obtained from the `config-class` attribute.

  Specified by:
    `getBeanClassName` in interface `BeanDeclaration`
  Returns:
    the name of the bean's class

### getBeanProperties

    public Map getBeanProperties()

  Returns a map with the bean's (simple) properties. The properties are collected from all attribute nodes, which are not reserved.

  Specified by:
    `getBeanProperties` in interface `BeanDeclaration`
  Returns:
    a map with the bean's properties

### getNestedBeanDeclarations

    public Map getNestedBeanDeclarations()

  Returns a map with bean declarations for the complex properties of the bean to be created. These declarations are obtained from the child nodes of this declaration's root node.

  Specified by:
    `getNestedBeanDeclarations` in interface `BeanDeclaration`
  Returns:
    a map with bean declarations for complex properties

### interpolate

    protected Object interpolate(Object value)

  Performs interpolation for the specified value. This implementation will interpolate against the current subnode configuration's parent. If sub classes need a different interpolation mechanism, they should override this method.

  Parameters:
    `value` - the value that is to be interpolated
  Returns:
    the interpolated value

### isReservedNode

    protected boolean isReservedNode(ConfigurationNode nd)

  Checks if the specified node is reserved and thus should be ignored. This method is called when the maps for the bean's properties and complex properties are collected. It checks whether the given node is an attribute node and if its name starts with the reserved prefix.

  Parameters:
    `nd` - the node to be checked
  Returns:
    a flag whether this node is reserved (and does not point to a property)

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