org.springframework.core.convert
Class TypeDescriptor

java.lang.Object
  org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor

public class TypeDescriptor
extends java.lang.Object

Type metadata about a bindable target value.

Author:

Keith Donald, Andy Clement

Field Summary

static TypeDescriptor

NULL_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR Constant value typeDescriptor for the type of a null value

Constructor Summary

TypeDescriptor(java.lang.Class<?> type)
Creates a new descriptor for the given type.

TypeDescriptor(java.lang.reflect.Field field)
Create a new descriptor for a field.

TypeDescriptor(MethodParameter methodParameter)
Create a new descriptor for a method or constructor parameter.

Method Summary

java.lang.String	asString()
static TypeDescriptor	forObject(java.lang.Object object) Creates a new type descriptor for the class of the given object.
java.lang.annotation.Annotation[]	getAnnotations() Obtain the annotations associated with the wrapped parameter/field, if any.
java.lang.Class<?>	getElementType() If this type is an array type or Collection type, returns the underlying element type.
java.lang.reflect.Field	getField() Return the wrapped Field, if any.
java.lang.Class<?>	getMapKeyType() Determine the generic key type of the wrapped Map parameter/field, if any.
java.lang.Class<?>	getMapValueType() Determine the generic value type of the wrapped Map parameter/field, if any.
MethodParameter	getMethodParameter() Return the wrapped MethodParameter, if any.
java.lang.String	getName() Returns the name of this type; the fully qualified classname.
java.lang.Class<?>	getType() Determine the declared (non-generic) type of the wrapped parameter/field.
boolean	isAbstractClass() Returns true if this type is an abstract class.
boolean	isArray() Is this type an array type?
boolean	isAssignableTo(TypeDescriptor targetType) Returns true if an object this type can be assigned to a rereference of given targetType.
boolean	isCollection() Is this type a Collection type?
boolean	isInstance(java.lang.Object obj) Is the obj an instance of this type?
boolean	isMap() Is this type a Map type?
boolean	isMapEntryTypeKnown() Is this descriptor for a map where the key type and value type are known?
static TypeDescriptor	valueOf(java.lang.Class<? extends java.lang.Object> type) Creates a new type descriptor for the given class.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

Field Detail

NULL_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR

public static final TypeDescriptor NULL_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR

Constant value typeDescriptor for the type of a null value

Constructor Detail

TypeDescriptor

public TypeDescriptor(java.lang.Class<?> type)

Creates a new descriptor for the given type. Use this constructor when a bound value comes from a source such as a Map or collection, where no additional binding metadata is available.

Parameters:

type - the actual type

TypeDescriptor

public TypeDescriptor(MethodParameter methodParameter)

Create a new descriptor for a method or constructor parameter. Use this constructor when a bound value originates from a method parameter, such as a setter method argument.

Parameters:

methodParameter - the MethodParameter to wrap

TypeDescriptor

public TypeDescriptor(java.lang.reflect.Field field)

Create a new descriptor for a field. Use this constructor when a bound value originates from a field.

Parameters:

field - the field to wrap

Method Detail

getType

public java.lang.Class<?> getType()

Determine the declared (non-generic) type of the wrapped parameter/field.

Returns:

the declared type (never null)

getName

public java.lang.String getName()

Returns the name of this type; the fully qualified classname.

isArray

public boolean isArray()

Is this type an array type?

isCollection

public boolean isCollection()

Is this type a Collection type?

getElementType

public java.lang.Class<?> getElementType()

If this type is an array type or Collection type, returns the underlying element type. Returns null if the type is neither an array or collection.

isMap

public boolean isMap()

Is this type a Map type?

isMapEntryTypeKnown

public boolean isMapEntryTypeKnown()

Is this descriptor for a map where the key type and value type are known?

getMapKeyType

public java.lang.Class<?> getMapKeyType()

Determine the generic key type of the wrapped Map parameter/field, if any.

Returns:

the generic type, or null if none

getMapValueType

public java.lang.Class<?> getMapValueType()

Determine the generic value type of the wrapped Map parameter/field, if any.

Returns:

the generic type, or null if none

getAnnotations

public java.lang.annotation.Annotation[] getAnnotations()

Obtain the annotations associated with the wrapped parameter/field, if any.

getMethodParameter

public MethodParameter getMethodParameter()

Return the wrapped MethodParameter, if any.

Note: Either MethodParameter or Field is available.

Returns:

the MethodParameter, or null if none

getField

public java.lang.reflect.Field getField()

Return the wrapped Field, if any.

Note: Either MethodParameter or Field is available.

Returns:

the Field, or null if none

isAbstractClass

public boolean isAbstractClass()

Returns true if this type is an abstract class.

isInstance

public boolean isInstance(java.lang.Object obj)

Is the obj an instance of this type?

isAssignableTo

public boolean isAssignableTo(TypeDescriptor targetType)

Returns true if an object this type can be assigned to a rereference of given targetType.

Parameters:

targetType - the target type

Returns:

true if this type is assignable to the target

valueOf

public static TypeDescriptor valueOf(java.lang.Class<? extends java.lang.Object> type)

Creates a new type descriptor for the given class.

Parameters:

type - the class

Returns:

the type descriptor

forObject

public static TypeDescriptor forObject(java.lang.Object object)

Creates a new type descriptor for the class of the given object.

Parameters:

object - the object

Returns:

the type descriptor

asString

public java.lang.String asString()

Returns:

a textual representation of the type descriptor (eg. Map) for use in messages