jplot

Class XMLRead

java.lang.Object

jplot.XMLRead

public class XMLRead
extends Object

XML reading utilities. The class provides a number of methods to read a script in XML format and get the useful numbers out it. Why not using an existing XML parser? Because I couldn't figure out how to use thes parsers without a complex XSL sheet to do the job properly and fast.

The XMLRead and XMLWrite classes are simple to use and efficient. XMLWrite can be used to create an XML-formatted file with settings of any software. XMLRead, this class, helps in reading the file and provide methods to access the elements and their values. The class is typically used for reading scripts, for example:

<axes-ratio fix="false" value="0.65"/>
<axes-color red="0" green="0" blue="0"/>
<axis show="true">
<range min="0.0" max="10.0"/>
<scaling log="false" offset="0.0"/>
</axis>


The data can be accessed via the different get-methods, e.g.

XMLRead xr("myscript.xml");
boolean fix=false;
fix = xr.getBoolean("axes-ratio/fix",fix);
float ratio=1.0; ratio = xr.getFloat("axes-ratio/value",ratio);


All elements can be accessed randomly, e.g.

min = xr.getFloat("axis/range/min",min);


is perfectly valid code. To avoid long strings, it is often more practical to set a local scope with the 'open' method:

xr.open("axis");
min = xr.getFloat("range/min",min);
max = xr.getFloat("range/max",max);
xr.close(); // closes 'axis'


Note that all elements beyond the local scope remain invisible until the scope is closed using the 'close()' method. Many more methods are available: check the methods below for more details.

See Also:

XMLWrite

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
XMLRead() Builds the XML tool class.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
void	close() Closes the current context and moves back to a more global one.
boolean	getBoolean(String element, boolean val) Returns the value of a boolean element (true/false).
Color	getColor(String element, Color c) Returns the value of a color element: it must be a color.
Vector<String>	getData() get all lines between the attribute
Dimension	getDimension(String element, Dimension d) Returns the value of a specific element, which must be a dimension.
double	getDouble(String element, double val) Returns the value of a number (double) element.
float	getFloat(String element, float val) Returns the value of a number (float) element.
Font	getFont(String element, Font f) Returns the value of a font element: it must be a font.
int	getInt(String element, int val) Returns a value of a number (integer) element.
String	getString(String element, String val) Returns the value of a string element.
Stroke	getStroke(String element, BasicStroke c) Returns Stroke
void	hide(String context) Hides an element or a context from the current vector.
boolean	open(String context) Opens a specific context for finding elements.
boolean	parse(BufferedReader in, String context) Reads a (part of a) file and stores the XML stuff in a vector.
void	parse(File file)
boolean	parse(File file, String context) Reads a (part of a) file and stores the XML stuff in a vector.
void	printVector()
void	unHide() Unsets all the hidden contexts.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

XMLRead

public XMLRead()

Builds the XML tool class.

Method Detail

parse

public boolean parse(File file,
                     String context)

Reads a (part of a) file and stores the XML stuff in a vector. Only the text within the specified context is considered, thus allowing to process part of a larger script. For an empty context ("") or something like "/", the entire file is read.

Parameters:

file - file which contains the XML script

context - tag with the global context, i.e. only the stuff within this context is actually read.

parse

public boolean parse(BufferedReader in,
                     String context)

Reads a (part of a) file and stores the XML stuff in a vector. Only the text within the specified context is considered, thus allowing to process part of a larger script. For an empty context ("") or something like "/", the entire file is read.

Parameters:

in - BufferedReader which contains the XML script

context - tag with the global context, i.e. only the stuff within this context is actually read.

parse

public void parse(File file)

open

public boolean open(String context)

Opens a specific context for finding elements. Once opened with a specific context, all requests for elements and values will be search for within the context only. This allows to focuss on specific parts of a file only. Subseqent calls to open allow to focus on nested elements. The context is generally the name of an element (context = foo), but it can be a nested element as well (foo/bar) and even an element with members with specific values (foo/bar=true).

Parameters:

context - context element name.

Returns:

false if the element was not found, true otherwise.

See Also:

close()

close

public void close()

Closes the current context and moves back to a more global one. Closing the global context default back to the entire script. Each call to 'open' should have a corresponding 'close'. The order of opening defines the order of closing.

See Also:

open(String context)

hide

public void hide(String context)

Hides an element or a context from the current vector. This method will hide the first occurence of the element from the next call to 'open'. The hided elements can be 'unhided' using the 'unhide' method. Does nothing if the element is not found.

Parameters:

context - name of the element

unHide

public void unHide()

Unsets all the hidden contexts.

See Also:

hide(String)

printVector

public void printVector()

getData

public Vector<String> getData()

get all lines between the attribute

Returns:

Vector data

getDimension

public Dimension getDimension(String element,
                              Dimension d)

Returns the value of a specific element, which must be a dimension. The element is sought for in the current context only, as set by 'open'.

Parameters:

element - element or search path

d - dimension, used to recycle memory

See Also:

open(String context)

getColor

public Color getColor(String element,
                      Color c)

Returns the value of a color element: it must be a color. The element is sought for in the current context only, as set by 'open'. The current color (c) is not changed if the color is not found or if the color (red,green,blue) is not written in a proper format. NOTE: Color is a final object, cannot recycle memory in a clever way as we do for dimension!

Parameters:

element - element or search path.

c - color, default in case we didn't find the color in the script.

Returns:

the color as found in the settings.

See Also:

open(String context)

getStroke

public Stroke getStroke(String element,
                        BasicStroke c)

Returns Stroke

getFont

public Font getFont(String element,
                    Font f)

Returns the value of a font element: it must be a font. The element is sought for in the current context only, as set by 'open'. The font (f) is not changed if the font is not found or if the font (name,style,size) is not written in a proper format. NOTE: Font is a final object, cannot recycle memory in a clever way as we do for dimension!

Parameters:

element - element or search path, general a name such as 'font'

f - font, place-holder and initial font

Returns:

the font as found in the settings.

See Also:

open(String context)

getInt

public int getInt(String element,
                  int val)

Returns a value of a number (integer) element. If the element is not found, of if the element value cannot be converted to the desired format, the default value 'val' is returned.

Parameters:

element - element or search path, such as foo or foo/bar

val - default value, returned if some error occured

Returns:

the value of the element, as an integer

getDouble

public double getDouble(String element,
                        double val)

Returns the value of a number (double) element. If the element is not found, of if the element value cannot be converted to the desired format, the default value 'val' is returned.

Parameters:

element - element or search path, such as foo or foo/bar

val - default value, returned if some error occured

Returns:

the value of the element, as a double

getFloat

public float getFloat(String element,
                      float val)

Returns the value of a number (float) element. If the element is not found, of if the element value cannot be converted to the desired format, the default value 'val' is returned.

Parameters:

element - element or search path, such as foo or foo/bar

val - default value, returned if some error occured

Returns:

the value of the element, as a double

getString

public String getString(String element,
                        String val)

Returns the value of a string element. If the element is not found, of if the element value cannot be converted to the desired format, the default value 'val' is returned.

Parameters:

element - element or search path, such as foo or foo/bar

val - default value, returned if some error occured

Returns:

the value of the element, in a string

getBoolean

public boolean getBoolean(String element,
                          boolean val)

Returns the value of a boolean element (true/false). If the element is not found, of if the element value cannot be converted to the desired format, the default value 'val' is returned.

Parameters:

element - element or search path, such as foo or foo/bar

val - default value, returned if some error occured

Returns:

the value of the element, in a string