RTT::Property

Property Class Template Reference
[Property Interface, Task Context Interface]

#include <rtt/Property.hpp>

Inheritance diagram for Property:

Detailed Description

template<typename T>
class RTT::Property< T >

A property represents a named value of any type with a description.

A property is a tuple of a name, a description and a variable of any type. It's purpose is to provide an easy to manipulate parameter of an object by external entities. They can be grouped in PropertyBag objects and a Property can contain a PropertyBag itself.

If you do not provide a name nor description when constructing the Property object, it will be uninitialised and ready() will return false. Such an object may not be used (set(), get(),...) until it has been initialised from another Property. Otherwise, an exception (or assert) will be thrown.

Parameters:

The type of the data contained within the Property.

Definition at line 78 of file Property.hpp.


Public Types
typedef boost::remove_const < typename boost::remove_reference < T >::type >::type	value_t
	The types of this property type.
typedef boost::call_traits < value_t > ::param_type	param_t
typedef boost::call_traits < value_t > ::reference	reference_t
typedef boost::call_traits < value_t > ::const_reference	const_reference_t
typedef value_t	DataSourceType
Public Member Functions
	Property ()
	Create an empty Property with no name, no description and no value.
	Property (const std::string &name, const std::string &description, param_t value=value_t())
	The constructor which initializes the property's value.
	Property (const Property< T > &orig)
	Copy constructors copies the name, description and value as deep copies.
	Property (PropertyBase *source)
	Create a Property mirroring another PropertyBase.
	Property (const std::string &name, const std::string &description, typename AssignableDataSource< DataSourceType >::shared_ptr datasource)
	The constructor which initializes the property with a DataSource.
Property< T > &	operator= (param_t value)
	Set the property's value.
Property< T > &	operator= (PropertyBase *source)
	Construct a Property which mirrors a PropertyBase.
Property< T > &	operator<<= (Property< T > &p)
	Update the value of this property with another property.
	operator value_t () const
	Get a copy of the value of the property.
DataSourceType	get () const
	Get a copy of the value of the property.
reference_t	set ()
	Access to the value of the Property.
void	set (param_t v)
	Set the value of the Property.
reference_t	value ()
	Access to the value of the Property.
const_reference_t	rvalue () const
	Read-only (const&) access to the value of the Property.
virtual void	identify (PropertyIntrospection *pi)
	A call on this method will lead to a call to the PropertyIntrospection interface identifying this Property's proper type.
virtual void	identify (PropertyBagVisitor *pi)
	A call on this method will lead to a call to the PropertyBagIntrospection interface identifying this Property's proper type.
virtual bool	update (const PropertyBase *other)
	Update the value of this Property with the value of an other Property.
virtual CommandInterface *	updateCommand (const PropertyBase *other)
	Generate a CommandInterface object which will update this Property with the value of another Property when execute()'ed.
virtual bool	refresh (const PropertyBase *other)
	Refresh the value of this Property with the value of an other Property.
virtual CommandInterface *	refreshCommand (const PropertyBase *other)
	Generate a CommandInterface object which will refresh this Property with the value of another Property when execute()'ed.
virtual bool	copy (const PropertyBase *other)
	Copy an other Property onto this property.
virtual CommandInterface *	copyCommand (const PropertyBase *other)
	Generate a CommandInterface object which will copy this Property with the value of another Property when execute()'ed.
bool	copy (const Property< T > &orig)
	Copy the value, complete overwrite of this Property with orig.
bool	update (const Property< T > &orig)
	Update the value, optionally also the description if current description is empty.
bool	refresh (const Property< T > &orig)
	Refresh only the value from a Property.
virtual Property< T > *	clone () const
	Deliver an identical clone of this PropertyBase.
virtual Property< T > *	create () const
	Create a new default instance of the PropertyBase.
virtual DataSourceBase::shared_ptr	getDataSource () const
	Get a DataSource through which this PropertyBase can be manipulated.
AssignableDataSource < DataSourceType > ::shared_ptr	getAssignableDataSource () const
virtual std::string	getType () const
	Returns the type of this PropertyBase.
virtual const TypeInfo *	getTypeInfo () const
	Returns the TypeInfo object of this Property.
template<>
bool	update (const Property< PropertyBag > &orig)
template<>
bool	refresh (const Property< PropertyBag > &orig)
template<>
bool	copy (const Property< PropertyBag > &orig)
template<>
void	identify (PropertyBagVisitor *pbi)
	A call on this method will lead to a call to the PropertyBagIntrospection interface identifying this Property's proper type.
template<>
bool	update (const Property< PropertyBag > &orig)
template<>
bool	refresh (const Property< PropertyBag > &orig)
template<>
bool	copy (const Property< PropertyBag > &orig)
template<>
void	identify (PropertyBagVisitor *pbi)
	A call on this method will lead to a call to the PropertyBagIntrospection interface identifying this Property's proper type.
const std::string &	getName () const
	Get the name of the property.
void	setName (const std::string &name)
	Set the name of the property.
const std::string &	getDescription () const
	Get a description of the property.
void	setDescription (const std::string &desc)
	Set the description of the property.
bool	ready () const
	Inspect if this Property is correctly initialised and ready for usage.
Static Public Member Functions
static Property< T > *	narrow (PropertyBase *prop)
	Use this method instead of dynamic_cast<> to cast from PropertyBase to Property<T>.
Protected Attributes
AssignableDataSource < DataSourceType > ::shared_ptr	_value
std::string	_name
	A short name for this PropertyBase.
std::string	_description
	A lengthy description for this PropertyBase.

Member Typedef Documentation

typedef boost::remove_const<typename boost::remove_reference<T>::type>::type value_t

The types of this property type.

value_t is always the 'bare' value type of T. From this type, we derive the other (param, ref, ...) types.

Definition at line 87 of file Property.hpp.

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

Property ( ) [inline]

Create an empty Property with no name, no description and no value.

Postcondition:: ready() will return false. Initialise this Property with another Property object.

Definition at line 97 of file Property.hpp.

Property	(	const std::string &	name,
		const std::string &	description,
		param_t	value = `value_t()`
	)			`[inline]`

The constructor which initializes the property's value.

Parameters:

	name	The name which will be used to refer to the property.
	description	The description of the property.
	value	The initial value of the property (optional).

Postcondition:: ready() will always be true.

Definition at line 108 of file Property.hpp.

Property ( const Property< T > & orig ) [inline]

Copy constructors copies the name, description and value as deep copies.

Postcondition:: ready() will be true if orig.ready() is true.

Definition at line 118 of file Property.hpp.

Property ( PropertyBase * source ) [inline]

Create a Property mirroring another PropertyBase.

It copies the name and description, and shallow copies the value.

See also:: ready() to inspect if the creation succeeded.

Definition at line 129 of file Property.hpp.

Property	(	const std::string &	name,
		const std::string &	description,
		typename AssignableDataSource< DataSourceType >::shared_ptr	datasource
	)			`[inline]`

The constructor which initializes the property with a DataSource.

Parameters:

	name	The name which will be used to refer to the property.
	description	The description of the property.
	datasource	A new data source to be acquired by this property for storing its data.

Postcondition:: ready() will be true if datasource is a valid pointer.

Definition at line 144 of file Property.hpp.

Member Function Documentation

Property<T>& operator= ( param_t value ) [inline]

Set the property's value.

Parameters:

value

The value to be set.

Returns:: A reference to newly set property value.

Definition at line 154 of file Property.hpp.

Property<T>& operator= ( PropertyBase * source ) [inline]

Construct a Property which mirrors a PropertyBase.

Parameters:

source

A pointer to the property to mirror.

Definition at line 164 of file Property.hpp.

operator value_t ( ) const [inline]

Get a copy of the value of the property.

Returns:: A copy of the value of the property.

Definition at line 197 of file Property.hpp.

DataSourceType get ( ) const [inline]

Get a copy of the value of the property.

Returns:: The value of the property.

Definition at line 206 of file Property.hpp.

Referenced by RTT::composeProperty(), Property< bool >::copy(), RTT::decomposeProperty(), ConditionBoolProperty::evaluate(), PropertyBagIntrospector::introspect(), XMLMarshaller::introspect(), Orocos1Marshaller::introspect(), XMLRPCMarshaller::serialize(), TableHeaderMarshaller::serialize(), and Property< bool >::update().

reference_t set ( ) [inline]

Access to the value of the Property.

Identical to value().

Warning:: This function is not suitable for remote (distributed) access of properties, use operator=() or set( param_t v ) to assign a value.

Definition at line 217 of file Property.hpp.

reference_t value ( ) [inline]

Access to the value of the Property.

Identical to set().

Warning:: This function is not suitable for remote (distributed) access of properties, use operator=() or set( param_t v ) to assign a value.

Definition at line 237 of file Property.hpp.

Referenced by RTT::deletePropertyBag(), RTT::flattenPropertyBag(), PropertyBagIntrospector::introspect(), INIMarshaller::introspect(), RTT::refreshProperty(), TableMarshaller::serialize(), Tiny2CPFHandler::startElement(), and RTT::updateProperty().

Property< T > * narrow ( PropertyBase * prop ) [inline, static]

Use this method instead of dynamic_cast<> to cast from PropertyBase to Property<T>.

You need to delete the returned property if it is no longer needed.

Parameters:

	T	The Desired property type, for example 'double'.
	prop	The property to narrow to Property<T>.

Returns:: Null if prop is not convertible to type Property<T>, a new Property<T> instance otherwise.

Definition at line 409 of file Property.hpp.

References Property::clone(), and PropertyBase::getDataSource().

virtual bool update ( const PropertyBase * other ) [inline, virtual]

Update the value of this Property with the value of an other Property.

Update does a full update of the value, adding extra information if necessary, or in case of a Property<PropertyBag> adding missing Properties.

Returns:: false if the Properties are of different type.

Implements PropertyBase.

Definition at line 265 of file Property.hpp.

virtual CommandInterface* updateCommand ( const PropertyBase * other ) [inline, virtual]

Generate a CommandInterface object which will update this Property with the value of another Property when execute()'ed.

Returns:: zero if the Property types do not match

Todo:: : check if this method is necessary/used.

Implements PropertyBase.

Definition at line 274 of file Property.hpp.

virtual bool refresh ( const PropertyBase * other ) [inline, virtual]

Refresh the value of this Property with the value of an other Property.

Refresh does only the minimal update of the value, not adding extra information, or in case of a Property<PropertyBag> not adding extra Properties.

Returns:: false if the Properties are of different type.

Implements PropertyBase.

Definition at line 283 of file Property.hpp.

virtual CommandInterface* refreshCommand ( const PropertyBase * other ) [inline, virtual]

Generate a CommandInterface object which will refresh this Property with the value of another Property when execute()'ed.

The resulting Command is real-time.

Returns:: zero if the Property types do not match

Implements PropertyBase.

Definition at line 292 of file Property.hpp.

virtual bool copy ( const PropertyBase * other ) [inline, virtual]

Copy an other Property onto this property.

Update does a full update of the name, description and value, adding extra information if necessary, or in case of a Property<PropertyBag> adding all Properties.