Class InputMeta

java.lang.Object
uk.ac.starlink.ttools.plot2.data.InputMeta

public class InputMeta extends Object
Contains user-directed metadata to describe user-supplied input data coordinate values used for plots.

A number of the setter methods return this object, to facilitate declarations where method invocations are chained so that the configured metadata object can be returned in a single expression rather than multiple statements (cf StringBuffer).

Since:
12 Sep 2014
Author:
Mark Taylor
  • Constructor Details

    • InputMeta

      public InputMeta(String shortName, String longName)
      Constructor.
      Parameters:
      shortName - basic name, no spaces, not case-sensitive, to be used in command-line interface
      longName - name for use in GUI
  • Method Details

    • getShortName

      public String getShortName()
      Returns the basic one-word name, not case-sensitive, for use in command-line interfaces.
      Returns:
      short name
    • getLongName

      public String getLongName()
      Returns a potentially more descriptive name suitable for use in a GUI.
      Returns:
      long name
    • getValueUsage

      public String getValueUsage()
      Returns a a short usage fragment that describes the form of the data values represented by this coordinate.

      Examples might be something like "deg" or "boolean";

      Returns:
      usage fragment
    • getShortDescription

      public String getShortDescription()
      Returns a short description string.
      Returns:
      one-line description
    • getXmlDescription

      public String getXmlDescription()
      Returns an XML string suitable for insertion into a user document. It should be a sequence of one or more <p> elements. If null, the short description can be used instead.
      Returns:
      XML string, or null
    • setValueUsage

      public InputMeta setValueUsage(String usage)
      Sets a usage string which should give some clue how to specify this key from a string.

      Examples might be something like "float" or "boolean";

      Parameters:
      usage - usage string
      Returns:
      this object, as a convenience
    • setShortDescription

      public InputMeta setShortDescription(String shortDescription)
      Sets a short description string. This may be used as a prompt on the command line or a tooltip in a GUI. It should preferably be no longer than about 40 characters.
      Parameters:
      shortDescription - one-line description
      Returns:
      this object, as a convenience
    • setXmlDescription

      public InputMeta setXmlDescription(String xmlDescription)
      Sets a documentation string. This is written in XML, intended for presentation as user documentation. The whole thing should be one or more <p> elements.

      Permissible elements include p, ul, li, dl, dt, dd, em, code, strong. Lists go inside paragraphs.

      Returns:
      documentation string
    • setXmlDescription

      public InputMeta setXmlDescription(String[] lines)
      Convenience method to set the XML description from an array of text lines. setXmlDescription is called on the result of joining the lines with newline characters.
      Parameters:
      lines - lines of documentation string
      Returns:
      this object, as a convenience