## net.sf.saxon.sort
Class SortExpression

    java.lang.Object
      net.sf.saxon.expr.Expression
          net.sf.saxon.sort.SortExpression

All Implemented Interfaces:
  java.io.Serializable, javax.xml.transform.SourceLocator, LocationProvider, SaxonLocator, EvaluableItem, SequenceIterable, SortKeyEvaluator, InstructionInfo, org.xml.sax.Locator

    public class SortExpression

extends Expression
implements SortKeyEvaluator

Expression equivalent to the imaginary syntax expr sortby (sort-key)+

See Also:
  Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.Expression
`EVALUATE_METHOD, ITERATE_METHOD, locationId, PROCESS_METHOD, staticProperties`

Constructor Summary
`SortExpression(Expression select, SortKeyDefinition[] sortKeys)` Create a sort expression

Method Summary
`PathMap.PathMapNodeSet` `addToPathMap(PathMap pathMap, PathMap.PathMapNodeSet pathMapNodeSet)` Add a representation of this expression to a PathMap.
`int` `computeCardinality()` Determine the static cardinality
`int` `computeSpecialProperties()` Get the static properties of this expression (other than its type).
`Expression` `copy()` Copy an expression.
`Item` `evaluateSortKey(int n, XPathContext c)` Callback for evaluating the sort keys
`void` `explain(ExpressionPresenter out)` Diagnostic print of expression structure.
`Expression` `getBaseExpression()` Get the expression defining the sequence being sorted
`ItemType` `getItemType(TypeHierarchy th)` Determine the data type of the items returned by the expression, if possible
`boolean` `hasLoopingSubexpression(Expression child)` Given an expression that is an immediate child of this expression, test whether the evaluation of the parent expression causes the child expression to be evaluated repeatedly
`boolean` `isSortKey(Expression child)` Test whether a given expression is one of the sort keys
`SequenceIterator` `iterate(XPathContext context)` Enumerate the results of the expression
`java.util.Iterator` `iterateSubExpressions()` Get the immediate sub-expressions of this expression.
`Expression` `optimize(ExpressionVisitor visitor, ItemType contextItemType)` Perform optimisation of an expression and its subexpressions.
`Expression` `promote(PromotionOffer offer)` Offer promotion for this subexpression.
`boolean` `replaceSubExpression(Expression original, Expression replacement)` Replace one subexpression by a replacement subexpression
`Expression` `simplify(ExpressionVisitor visitor)` Simplify an expression
`Expression` `typeCheck(ExpressionVisitor visitor, ItemType contextItemType)` Type-check the expression

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

`adoptChildExpression, checkForUpdatingSubexpressions, checkPermittedContents, computeDependencies, computeStaticProperties, display, doPromotion, dynamicError, effectiveBooleanValue, evaluateAsString, evaluateItem, evaluatePendingUpdates, explain, findParentOf, getCardinality, getColumnNumber, getColumnNumber, getConstructType, getContainer, getDependencies, getExecutable, getHostLanguage, getImplementationMethod, getIntrinsicDependencies, getLineNumber, getLineNumber, getLocationId, getLocationProvider, getObjectName, getProperties, getProperty, getPublicId, getSlotsUsed, getSpecialProperties, getSystemId, getSystemId, implementsStaticTypeCheck, isUpdatingExpression, iterateEvents, markTailFunctionCalls, process, resetLocalStaticProperties, setContainer, setFiltered, setFlattened, setLocationId, staticTypeCheck, suppressValidation, toString, typeError`

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

Constructor Detail

### SortExpression

    public SortExpression(Expression select,
                          SortKeyDefinition[] sortKeys)

  Create a sort expression

  Parameters:
    `select` - the expression whose result is to be sorted
    `sortKeys` - the set of sort key definitions to be used, in major to minor order

Method Detail

### getBaseExpression

    public Expression getBaseExpression()

  Get the expression defining the sequence being sorted

  Returns:
    the expression whose result is to be sorted

### iterateSubExpressions

    public java.util.Iterator iterateSubExpressions()

  Get the immediate sub-expressions of this expression. Default implementation returns a zero-length array, appropriate for an expression that has no sub-expressions.

  Overrides:
    `iterateSubExpressions` in class `Expression`
  Returns:
    an iterator containing the sub-expressions of this expression

### addToPathMap

    public PathMap.PathMapNodeSet addToPathMap(PathMap pathMap,
                                               PathMap.PathMapNodeSet pathMapNodeSet)

  Add a representation of this expression to a PathMap. The PathMap captures a map of the nodes visited by an expression in a source tree.

  The default implementation of this method assumes that an expression does no navigation other than the navigation done by evaluating its subexpressions, and that the subexpressions are evaluated in the same context as the containing expression. The method must be overridden for any expression where these assumptions do not hold. For example, implementations exist for AxisExpression, ParentExpression, and RootExpression (because they perform navigation), and for the doc(), document(), and collection() functions because they create a new navigation root. Implementations also exist for PathExpression and FilterExpression because they have subexpressions that are evaluated in a different context from the calling expression.

  Overrides:
    `addToPathMap` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `pathMap` - the PathMap to which the expression should be added
    `pathMapNodeSet` -
  Returns:
    the pathMapNode representing the focus established by this expression, in the case where this expression is the first operand of a path expression or filter expression. For an expression that does navigation, it represents the end of the arc in the path map that describes the navigation route. For other expressions, it is the same as the input pathMapNode.

### hasLoopingSubexpression

    public boolean hasLoopingSubexpression(Expression child)

  Given an expression that is an immediate child of this expression, test whether the evaluation of the parent expression causes the child expression to be evaluated repeatedly

  Overrides:
    `hasLoopingSubexpression` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `child` - the immediate subexpression
  Returns:
    true if the child expression is evaluated repeatedly

### replaceSubExpression

    public boolean replaceSubExpression(Expression original,
                                        Expression replacement)

  Replace one subexpression by a replacement subexpression

  Overrides:
    `replaceSubExpression` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `original` - the original subexpression
    `replacement` - the replacement subexpression
  Returns:
    true if the original subexpression is found

### simplify

    public Expression simplify(ExpressionVisitor visitor)
                        throws XPathException

  Simplify an expression

  Overrides:
    `simplify` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `visitor` - an expression visitor
  Returns:
    the simplified expression
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if an error is discovered during expression rewriting

### typeCheck

    public Expression typeCheck(ExpressionVisitor visitor,
                                ItemType contextItemType)
                         throws XPathException

  Type-check the expression

  Overrides:
    `typeCheck` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `visitor` - an expression visitor
    `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:
    `XPathException` - if an error is discovered during this phase (typically a type error)

### optimize

    public Expression optimize(ExpressionVisitor visitor,
                               ItemType contextItemType)
                        throws XPathException

  Perform optimisation of an expression and its subexpressions.

  This method is called after all references to functions and variables have been resolved to the declaration of the function or variable, and after all type checking has been done.

  Overrides:
    `optimize` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `visitor` - an expression visitor
    `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 if appropriate to optimize execution
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if an error is discovered during this phase (typically a type error)

### copy

    public Expression copy()

  Copy an expression. This makes a deep copy.

  Specified by:
    `copy` in class `Expression`
  Returns:
    the copy of the original expression

### 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.

  Overrides:
    `promote` in class `Expression`
  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

### isSortKey

    public boolean isSortKey(Expression child)

  Test whether a given expression is one of the sort keys

  Parameters:
    `child` - the given expression
  Returns:
    true if the given expression is one of the sort keys

### computeCardinality

    public int computeCardinality()

  Determine the static cardinality

  Specified by:
    `computeCardinality` in class `Expression`
  Returns:
    the computed cardinality, as one of the values `StaticProperty.ALLOWS_ZERO_OR_ONE`, `StaticProperty.EXACTLY_ONE`, `StaticProperty.ALLOWS_ONE_OR_MORE`, `StaticProperty.ALLOWS_ZERO_OR_MORE`

### getItemType

    public ItemType getItemType(TypeHierarchy th)

  Determine the data type of the items returned by the expression, if possible

  Specified by:
    `getItemType` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `th` - the type hierarchy cache
  Returns:
    a value such as Type.STRING, Type.BOOLEAN, Type.NUMBER, Type.NODE, or Type.ITEM (meaning not known in advance)

### computeSpecialProperties

    public int computeSpecialProperties()

  Get the static properties of this expression (other than its type). The result is bit-significant. These properties are used for optimizations. In general, if property bit is set, it is true, but if it is unset, the value is unknown.

  Overrides:
    `computeSpecialProperties` in class `Expression`
  Returns:
    the special properties, as a bit-significant integer

### iterate

    public SequenceIterator iterate(XPathContext context)
                             throws XPathException

  Enumerate the results of the expression

  Specified by:
    `iterate` in interface `SequenceIterable`
  Overrides:
    `iterate` in class `Expression`
  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

### evaluateSortKey

    public Item evaluateSortKey(int n,
                                XPathContext c)
                         throws XPathException

  Callback for evaluating the sort keys

  Specified by:
    `evaluateSortKey` in interface `SortKeyEvaluator`
  Throws:
    `XPathException`

### explain

    public void explain(ExpressionPresenter out)

  Diagnostic print of expression structure. The abstract expression tree is written to the supplied output destination.

  Specified by:
    `explain` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `out` - the expression presenter used to display the structure

Copyright (c) Saxonica Limited. All rights reserved.