Attribute (Simbrain API)

All Known Subinterfaces:

Consumer<E>, Producer<E>
```
public interface Attribute
```
Defines the base API for consumers and producers.
An attribute involves 6 objects, described below, which are used to secure reference to a method (using reflection) which either produces or consumes data of type E (see the Coupling documentation). From this standpoint, a coupling is a pair consisting of a getter and a setter:
Producer (getX) --> E ---> Consumer (setX).
Usually (1)-(3) below are all that are needed to create an attribute. (4) Can be customized as needed. (5) and (6) are only used in special cases where "auxiliary" arguments are needed. These fields are described here. However in practice, an attribute is created by way of a PotentialAttribute , using the AttributeManager.
(1) BaseObject (Object): This is the basic object (a neuron, an agent in a simulated world, etc) where the method lives.
(2) MethodName (String): The name of the method in question. Usually a getter for producers, and a setter for consumers.
(3) DataType (Class): The "main" data type (usually double) of the data produced or consumed by a coupling. Note that Producer, Consumer, and Coupling are all parameterized by this type.
- Producers: this is the return type of a getter.
- Consumers: this is the type of the first argument of a setter.
(4) Description (String): A description of the attribute, which is useful in displaying couplings, and also in displaying a PotentialAttibute in the GUI, and also for debugging. Can be set to a custom value. Otherwise a default description describing the object, methodname, and datatype is made.
Auxiliary arguments are used to secure access to an underlying object that produces or consumes a value.
- Producer example: to get one component of a smell vector, we need to call "getSmell(int index)". So the getter has one integer index argument. The main datatype corresponds to the return type.
- Consumer example: to access a particular dimension of a barchart, we call a "setValue(value, index) function. So we need to pass in an index, corresponding to a bar. Note that the first argument is the datatype for the consumer, and that consumers with auxiliary arguments must have the main datatype as their first argument.
(5) ArgumentDataTypes (Class[]): The method signature of a getter or setter that requires auxiliary arguments. Usually null unless auxiliary arguments are needed.
(6) ArgumentValues (Object[]): The values passed to a getter or setter with auxiliary arguments.Usually null unless auxiliary arguments are needed.
The way auxiliary arguments work is a little different for producers and consumers
Producers: These are straightforward. The method signature for the getter and the values passed in line up.
- ArgumentDataType: (Class1, Class2,...)
- ArgumentValues: (Object1, Object2,...)
Consumers: This is a bit more complex, because the method signature and values are offset by 1. This is because the fist item of the method signature vector is the datatype. Note that this constrains what kind of setter can be a consumer with auxiliary arguments: in setters like this the first argument must be the same as the DataType.
- ArgumentDataType: (DataType, Class1, Class2,...)
- ArgumentValues: (Object1, Object2,...)
Finally, note that the actual act of creating a producer or consumer using the reflection API happens in the AttributeManager class.
Author:

Matt Watson, Jeff Yoshimi

See Also:

AttributeManager, PotentialAttribute, Coupling

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
Modifier and Type	Method and Description
`java.lang.Class<?>[]`	`getArgumentDataTypes()` Returns the method signature for auxiliary arguments (see the javadocs above for more information on this).
`java.lang.Object[]`	`getArgumentValues()` Returns the argument values auxiliary arguments (see the javadocs above for more information on this).
`java.lang.Object`	`getBaseObject()` Returns the base object associated with this attribute.
`java.lang.Class<?>`	`getDataType()` Returns the "main" data type of this attribute (see class javadocs above).
`java.lang.String`	`getDescription()` Returns a descriptive name for this attribute.
`java.lang.String`	`getMethodName()` Returns the name of the method associated with this attribute.
`WorkspaceComponent`	`getParentComponent()` Returns a reference to the parent component.

- Method Detail
  - getParentComponent
```
WorkspaceComponent getParentComponent()
```
    Returns a reference to the parent component.
    
    Returns:
    
    parent parent component
  - getBaseObject
```
java.lang.Object getBaseObject()
```
    Returns the base object associated with this attribute.
    
    Returns:
    
    the base object.
  - getDataType
```
java.lang.Class<?> getDataType()
```
    Returns the "main" data type of this attribute (see class javadocs above).
    
    Returns:
    
    the data type, as a class.
  - getMethodName
```
java.lang.String getMethodName()
```
    Returns the name of the method associated with this attribute.
    
    Returns:
    
    base method name
  - getArgumentDataTypes
```
java.lang.Class<?>[] getArgumentDataTypes()
```
    Returns the method signature for auxiliary arguments (see the javadocs above for more information on this).
    
    Returns:
    
    the argumentDataTypes
  - getArgumentValues
```
java.lang.Object[] getArgumentValues()
```
    Returns the argument values auxiliary arguments (see the javadocs above for more information on this).
    
    Returns:
    
    the argumentValues
  - getDescription
```
java.lang.String getDescription()
```
    Returns a descriptive name for this attribute.
    
    Returns:
    
    the name of this attribute.

Interface Attribute

Method Summary

Method Detail

getParentComponent

getBaseObject

getDataType

getMethodName

getArgumentDataTypes

getArgumentValues

getDescription