Bio::Tree::NodeI(3)

NAME
Bio::Tree::NodeI - Interface describing a Tree Node

SYNOPSIS
    # get a Tree::NodeI somehow
    # like from a TreeIO
    use Bio::TreeIO;
    # read in a clustalw NJ in phylip/newick format
    my $treeio = Bio::TreeIO->new(-format => 'newick', -file => 'file.dnd');

    my $tree = $treeio->next_tree; # we'll assume it worked for demo purposes
                                   # you might want to test that it was defined

    my $rootnode = $tree->get_root_node;

    # process just the next generation
    foreach my $node ( $rootnode->each_Descendent() ) {
        print "branch len is ", $node->branch_length, "\n";
    }

    # process all the children
    my $example_leaf_node;
    foreach my $node ( $rootnode->get_all_Descendents() ) {
        if( $node->is_Leaf ) {
            print "node is a leaf ... ";
            # for example use below
            $example_leaf_node = $node unless defined $example_leaf_node;
        }
        print "branch len is ", $node->branch_length, "\n";
    }

    # The ancestor() method points to the parent of a node
    # A node can only have one parent

    my $parent = $example_leaf_node->ancestor;

    # parent won't likely have an description because it is an internal node
    # but child will because it is a leaf

    print "Parent id: ", $parent->id," child id: ",
          $example_leaf_node->id, "\n";

DESCRIPTION
A NodeI is capable of the basic structure of building a tree and storing the branch length between nodes. The branch length is the length of the branch between the node and its ancestor, thus a root node in a Tree will not typically have a valid branch length.

Various implementations of NodeI may extend the basic functions and allow storing of other information (like attatching a species object or full sequences used to build a tree or alternative sequences). If you don't know how to extend a Bioperl object please ask, happy to help, we would also greatly appreciate contributions with improvements or extensions of the objects back to the Bioperl code base so that others don't have to reinvent your ideas.

FEEDBACK

  Mailing Lists
User feedback is an integral part of the evolution of this and other Bioperl modules. Send your comments and suggestions preferably to the Bioperl mailing list. Your participation is much appreciated.

  bioperl-l@bioperl.org                  - General discussion
  http://bioperl.org/wiki/Mailing_lists  - About the mailing lists

  Support
Please direct usage questions or support issues to the mailing list:

bioperl-l@bioperl.org

rather than to the module maintainer directly. Many experienced and reponsive experts will be able look at the problem and quickly address it. Please include a thorough description of the problem with code and data examples if at all possible.

  Reporting Bugs
Report bugs to the Bioperl bug tracking system to help us keep track of the bugs and their resolution. Bug reports can be submitted via the web:

  http://bugzilla.open-bio.org/

AUTHOR - Jason Stajich
Email jason@bioperl.org

CONTRIBUTORS
Aaron Mackey amackey@virginia.edu

APPENDIX
The rest of the documentation details each of the object methods. Internal methods are usually preceded with a _

  add_Descendent
 Title   : add_Descendent
 Usage   : $node->add_Descendent($node);
 Function: Adds a descendent to a node
 Returns : number of current descendents for this node
 Args    : Bio::Node::NodeI

  each_Descendent
 Title   : each_Descendent
 Usage   : my @nodes = $node->each_Descendent;
 Function: all the descendents for this Node (but not their descendents
                                              i.e. not a recursive fetchall)
 Returns : Array of Bio::Tree::NodeI objects
 Args    : none

  Decorated Interface methods

  get_all_Descendents
 Title   : get_all_Descendents($sortby)
 Usage   : my @nodes = $node->get_all_Descendents;
 Function: Recursively fetch all the nodes and their descendents
           *NOTE* This is different from each_Descendent
 Returns : Array or Bio::Tree::NodeI objects
 Args    : $sortby [optional] "height", "creation", "alpha", "revalpha",
           or a coderef to be used to sort the order of children nodes.

  is_Leaf
 Title   : is_Leaf
 Usage   : if( $node->is_Leaf )
 Function: Get Leaf status
 Returns : boolean
 Args    : none

  descendent_count
 Title   : descendent_count
 Usage   : my $count = $node->descendent_count;
 Function: Counts the number of descendents a node has
           (and all of their subnodes)
 Returns : integer
 Args    : none

  to_string
 Title   : to_string
 Usage   : my $str = $node->to_string()
 Function: For debugging, provide a node as a string
 Returns : string
 Args    : none

  height
 Title   : height
 Usage   : my $len = $node->height
 Function: Returns the height of the tree starting at this
           node.  Height is the maximum branchlength to get to the tip.
 Returns : The longest length (weighting branches with branch_length) to a leaf
 Args    : none

  depth
 Title   : depth
 Usage   : my $len = $node->depth
 Function: Returns the depth of the tree starting at this
           node.  Depth is the distance from this node to the root.
 Returns : The branch length to the root.
 Args    : none

  Get/Set methods

  branch_length
 Title   : branch_length
 Usage   : $obj->branch_length()
 Function: Get/Set the branch length
 Returns : value of branch_length
 Args    : newvalue (optional)

  id
 Title   : id
 Usage   : $obj->id($newval)
 Function: The human readable identifier for the node
 Returns : value of human readable id
 Args    : newvalue (optional)

  internal_id
 Title   : internal_id
 Usage   : my $internalid = $node->internal_id
 Function: Returns the internal unique id for this Node
 Returns : unique id
 Args    : none

  description
 Title   : description
 Usage   : $obj->description($newval)
 Function: Get/Set the description string
 Returns : value of description
 Args    : newvalue (optional)

  bootstrap
 Title   : bootstrap
 Usage   : $obj->bootstrap($newval)
 Function: Get/Set the bootstrap value
 Returns : value of bootstrap
 Args    : newvalue (optional)

  ancestor
 Title   : ancestor
 Usage   : my $node = $node->ancestor;
 Function: Get/Set the ancestor node pointer for a Node
 Returns : Null if this is top level node
 Args    : none

  invalidate_height
 Title   : invalidate_height
 Usage   : private helper method
 Function: Invalidate our cached value of the node height in the tree
 Returns : nothing
 Args    : none

  Methods for associating Tag/Values with a Node
These methods associate tag/value pairs with a Node

  set_tag_value
 Title   : set_tag_value
 Usage   : $node->set_tag_value($tag,$value)
           $node->set_tag_value($tag,@values)
 Function: Sets a tag value(s) to a node. Replaces old values.
 Returns : number of values stored for this tag
 Args    : $tag   - tag name
           $value - value to store for the tag

  add_tag_value
 Title   : add_tag_value
 Usage   : $node->add_tag_value($tag,$value)
 Function: Adds a tag value to a node
 Returns : number of values stored for this tag
 Args    : $tag   - tag name
           $value - value to store for the tag

  remove_tag
 Title   : remove_tag
 Usage   : $node->remove_tag($tag)
 Function: Remove the tag and all values for this tag
 Returns : boolean representing success (0 if tag does not exist)
 Args    : $tag - tagname to remove

  remove_all_tags
 Title   : remove_all_tags
 Usage   : $node->remove_all_tags()
 Function: Removes all tags
 Returns : None
 Args    : None

  get_all_tags
 Title   : get_all_tags
 Usage   : my @tags = $node->get_all_tags()
 Function: Gets all the tag names for this Node
 Returns : Array of tagnames
 Args    : None

  get_tag_values
 Title   : get_tag_values
 Usage   : my @values = $node->get_tag_values($tag)
 Function: Gets the values for given tag ($tag)
 Returns : Array of values or empty list if tag does not exist
 Args    : $tag - tag name

  has_tag
 Title   : has_tag
 Usage   : $node->has_tag($tag)
 Function: Boolean test if tag exists in the Node
 Returns : Boolean
 Args    : $tag - tagname

  Helper Functions

  id_output
 Title   : id_output
 Usage   : my $id = $node->id_output;
 Function: Return an id suitable for output in format like newick
           so that if it contains spaces or ():; characters it is properly
           quoted
 Returns : $id string if $node->id has a value
 Args    : none