gov.nasa.arc.brahms.vm.api.common
Interface IClass

All Superinterfaces:

IActiveClass, IActiveConcept, IConcept, IType, IUserDefinedType

public interface IClass
extends IActiveClass

The concept of a 'class' in Brahms is similar to the concept of a template or class in object-oriented programming. It defines the activities (workframes), initial-facts and initial-beliefs for instances of that class (i.e. 'objects'). Classes are used to define inanimate artifacts, such as phones, faxes, computer systems, pieces of paper, etc.

Version:

$Revision: 1.1 $ $Date: 2009/11/23 18:38:32 $ $Author: rnado $

Author:

Ron van Hoof

Field Summary

Fields inherited from interface gov.nasa.arc.brahms.vm.api.common.IUserDefinedType

UDT

Method Summary

java.util.List<IObject>	getInstances(boolean includeSubClasses) Returns a list of all of this class' instances.
IObject	newInstance(java.lang.String name, IContext actionCtx) newInstance creates a new instance of this class and returns the new instance.

Methods inherited from interface gov.nasa.arc.brahms.vm.api.common.IActiveConcept

hasThoughtframes, hasWorkframes

Methods inherited from interface gov.nasa.arc.brahms.vm.api.common.IConcept

getAttribute, getAttributes, getRelation, getRelations, isLocal

Methods inherited from interface gov.nasa.arc.brahms.vm.api.common.IType

getName, getType

Method Detail

newInstance

IObject newInstance(java.lang.String name,
                    IContext actionCtx)
                    throws ExternalException

newInstance creates a new instance of this class and returns the new instance. The new instance is given the specified name. If the name already exists a unique number will be attached to the name.

Parameters:

name - the name of the new instance

actionCtx - the IContext for the action

Returns:

IObject the new instance of this class

Throws:

ExternalException - if the creation of the new instance fails

getInstances

java.util.List<IObject> getInstances(boolean includeSubClasses)
                                     throws ExternalException

Returns a list of all of this class' instances. If includeSubClasses is set to true it will also include all the instances of this class' sub classes.

Parameters:

includeSubClasses - true to include instances of sub classes, false to only return direct instances of this class

Returns:

List the list of instances, an empty list if there are none

Throws:

ExternalException - if an internal error occurs