Package org.pentaho.reporting.engine.classic.core.metadata

Interface ElementType

All Superinterfaces:

Cloneable, DataSource, Serializable

All Known Subinterfaces:

SectionType

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractElementType, AbstractSectionType, AutoLayoutBoxType, BandType, ContentFieldType, ContentType, CrosstabCellBodyType, CrosstabCellType, CrosstabColumnGroupBodyType, CrosstabColumnGroupType, CrosstabElementType, CrosstabGroupType, CrosstabHeaderType, CrosstabOtherGroupBodyType, CrosstabOtherGroupType, CrosstabRowGroupBodyType, CrosstabRowGroupType, CrosstabSummaryHeaderType, CrosstabTitleHeaderType, DateFieldType, DetailsFooterType, DetailsHeaderType, EllipseType, ExternalElementType, GroupDataBodyType, GroupFooterType, GroupHeaderType, HorizontalLineType, ItemBandType, LabelType, LegacyType, MasterReportType, MessageType, NoDataBandType, NumberFieldType, PageFooterType, PageHeaderType, RectangleType, RelationalGroupType, ReportFooterType, ReportHeaderType, ResourceFieldType, ResourceLabelType, ResourceMessageType, SubGroupBodyType, SubReportType, SurveyScaleType, TextFieldType, VerticalLineType, WatermarkType

public interface ElementType
extends DataSource

A element type is a data-source/data-filter implementation much like the templates. But instead of having own getter/setter properties, a element type implementation provides a structured meta-data object to describe the purpose and properties of the element.

Author:

Thomas Morgner

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
void	configureDesignTimeDefaults(ReportElement element, Locale locale)	Compute the design-time defaults that should be applied to an element after it was created by a design-tool.
ReportElement	create()	Creates the element implementation.
Object	getDesignValue(ExpressionRuntime runtime, ReportElement element)	Compute a design-time value.
ElementMetaData	getMetaData()	Returns the element metadata for this element type.

Methods inherited from interface org.pentaho.reporting.engine.classic.core.filter.DataSource

clone, getValue

Method Detail

getMetaData

ElementMetaData getMetaData()

Returns the element metadata for this element type.

Returns:

the element meta-data.

getDesignValue

Object getDesignValue(ExpressionRuntime runtime,
                      ReportElement element)

Compute a design-time value. This value will be displayed when editing the element in the Pentaho Report Designer. If there is not enough data available to produce a sensible output, return a mock-object so that the user can interact with the element in a sensible fashion.

When the element is called, all style and attribute expressions have been resolved and can be accessed via the normal static style and attribute accessor methods. If the content of your element depends on style information, the fully computed style must be retrieved via the .Element#getComputedStyle() method. The local style-sheet for the element may not have all information.

Parameters:

runtime - the expression runtime holding the current report state.

element - the element.

Returns:

the computed value.

configureDesignTimeDefaults

void configureDesignTimeDefaults(ReportElement element,
                                 Locale locale)

Compute the design-time defaults that should be applied to an element after it was created by a design-tool. Only declare explicit values. If you assume defaults when an attribute or style is undefined, then there is no need to set it here.

Any value set here will be treated as user-defined value afterwards and will be explicitly stored in the XML files.

Parameters:

element - the element that should be configured.

locale - the locale.

create

ReportElement create()

Creates the element implementation. Return a new Element for data-items, Band for compound data items or the appropriate Element implementation for complex element types.

Returns:

the new element instance.