Eclipse Platform
Release 3.6

org.eclipse.core.databinding.validation
Class MultiValidator

java.lang.Object
  extended by org.eclipse.core.databinding.ValidationStatusProvider
      extended by org.eclipse.core.databinding.validation.MultiValidator

public abstract class MultiValidator
extends ValidationStatusProvider

A validator for cross-constraints between observables.

Some practical examples of cross-constraints:

Example: require two integer fields to contain either both even or both odd numbers.

 DataBindingContext dbc = new DataBindingContext();
 
 IObservableValue target0 = SWTObservables.observeText(text0, SWT.Modify);
 IObservableValue target1 = SWTObservables.observeText(text1, SWT.Modify);
 
 // Binding in two stages (from target to middle, then from middle to model)
 // simplifies the validation logic.  Using the middle observables saves
 // the trouble of converting the target values (Strings) to the model type
 // (integers) manually during validation.
 final IObservableValue middle0 = new WritableValue(null, Integer.TYPE);
 final IObservableValue middle1 = new WritableValue(null, Integer.TYPE);
 dbc.bind(target0, middle0, null, null);
 dbc.bind(target1, middle1, null, null);
 
 // Create the multi-validator
 MultiValidator validator = new MultiValidator() {
        protected IStatus validate() {
                // Calculate the validation status
                Integer value0 = (Integer) middle0.getValue();
                Integer value1 = (Integer) middle1.getValue();
                if (Math.abs(value0.intValue()) % 2 != Math.abs(value1.intValue()) % 2)
                        return ValidationStatus
                                        .error("Values must be both even or both odd");
                return ValidationStatus.ok();
        }
 };
 dbc.addValidationStatusProvider(validator);
 
 // Bind the middle observables to the model observables. 
 IObservableValue model0 = new WritableValue(new Integer(2), Integer.TYPE);
 IObservableValue model1 = new WritableValue(new Integer(4), Integer.TYPE);
 dbc.bind(middle0, model0, null, null);
 dbc.bind(middle1, model1, null, null);
 

MultiValidator can also prevent invalid data from being copied to model. This is done by wrapping each target observable in a validated observable, and then binding the validated observable to the model.

 
 ...
 
 // Validated observables do not change value until the validator passes. 
 IObservableValue validated0 = validator.observeValidatedValue(middle0);
 IObservableValue validated1 = validator.observeValidatedValue(middle1);
 IObservableValue model0 = new WritableValue(new Integer(2), Integer.TYPE);
 IObservableValue model1 = new WritableValue(new Integer(4), Integer.TYPE);
 // Bind to the validated value, not the middle/target
 dbc.bind(validated0, model0, null, null);
 dbc.bind(validated1, model1, null, null);
 
Note: No guarantee is made as to the order of updates when multiple validated observables change value at once (i.e. multiple updates pending when the status becomes valid). Therefore the model may be in an invalid state after the first but before the last pending update.

Since:
1.1

Field Summary
 
Fields inherited from class org.eclipse.core.databinding.ValidationStatusProvider
disposed
 
Constructor Summary
MultiValidator()
          Constructs a MultiValidator on the default realm.
MultiValidator(Realm realm)
          Constructs a MultiValidator on the given realm.
 
Method Summary
 void dispose()
          Disposes of this ValidationStatusProvider.
 IObservableList getModels()
          Returns an IObservableList < IObservable > containing the model observables (if any) that are being tracked by this validation status provider.
 IObservableList getTargets()
          Returns an IObservableList < IObservable > containing the target observables (if any) that are being tracked by this validation status provider.
 IObservableValue getValidationStatus()
          Returns an IObservableValue whose value is always the current validation status of this MultiValidator.
 IObservableList observeValidatedList(IObservableList target)
          Returns a wrapper IObservableList which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid.
 IObservableMap observeValidatedMap(IObservableMap target)
          Returns a wrapper IObservableMap which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid.
 IObservableSet observeValidatedSet(IObservableSet target)
          Returns a wrapper IObservableSet which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid.
 IObservableValue observeValidatedValue(IObservableValue target)
          Returns a wrapper IObservableValue which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid.
protected  void revalidate()
          Signals that a re-evaluation of the current validation status is necessary.
protected abstract  IStatus validate()
          Returns the current validation status.
 
Methods inherited from class org.eclipse.core.databinding.ValidationStatusProvider
isDisposed
 
Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait
 

Constructor Detail

MultiValidator

public MultiValidator()
Constructs a MultiValidator on the default realm.


MultiValidator

public MultiValidator(Realm realm)
Constructs a MultiValidator on the given realm.

Parameters:
realm - the realm on which validation takes place.
Method Detail

getValidationStatus

public IObservableValue getValidationStatus()
Returns an IObservableValue whose value is always the current validation status of this MultiValidator. The returned observable is in the same realm as this MultiValidator.

Specified by:
getValidationStatus in class ValidationStatusProvider
Returns:
an IObservableValue whose value is always the current validation status of this MultiValidator.

revalidate

protected final void revalidate()
Signals that a re-evaluation of the current validation status is necessary.

Clients may invoke this method whenever the validation status needs to be updated due to some state change which cannot be automatically tracked by the MultiValidator as it is not captured by any IObservable instance.

Note: There is no guarantee as of whether the MultiValidator will immediately re-evaluate the validation status by calling validate() when becoming dirty. Instead, it may decide to perform the re-evaluation lazily.

Since:
1.2
See Also:
validate()

validate

protected abstract IStatus validate()
Returns the current validation status.

Note: To ensure that the validation status is kept current automatically, all dependencies used to calculate status should be accessed through IObservable instances. Each dependency observable must be in the same realm as the MultiValidator. Other dependencies not captured by the state of those observables may be accounted for by having clients explicitly call revalidate() whenever the validation status needs to be re-evaluated due to some arbitrary change in the application state.

Returns:
the current validation status.
See Also:
revalidate()

observeValidatedValue

public IObservableValue observeValidatedValue(IObservableValue target)
Returns a wrapper IObservableValue which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid. Statuses of OK, INFO or WARNING severity are considered valid.

The wrapper behaves as follows with respect to the validation status:

Parameters:
target - the target observable being wrapped. Must be in the same realm as the MultiValidator.
Returns:
an IObservableValue which stays in sync with the given target observable only with the validation status is valid.

observeValidatedList

public IObservableList observeValidatedList(IObservableList target)
Returns a wrapper IObservableList which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid. Statuses of OK, INFO or WARNING severity are considered valid.

The wrapper behaves as follows with respect to the validation status:

Parameters:
target - the target observable being wrapped. Must be in the same realm as the MultiValidator.
Returns:
an IObservableValue which stays in sync with the given target observable only with the validation status is valid.

observeValidatedSet

public IObservableSet observeValidatedSet(IObservableSet target)
Returns a wrapper IObservableSet which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid. Statuses of OK, INFO or WARNING severity are considered valid.

The wrapper behaves as follows with respect to the validation status:

Parameters:
target - the target observable being wrapped. Must be in the same realm as the MultiValidator.
Returns:
an IObservableValue which stays in sync with the given target observable only with the validation status is valid.

observeValidatedMap

public IObservableMap observeValidatedMap(IObservableMap target)
Returns a wrapper IObservableMap which stays in sync with the given target observable only when the validation status is valid. Statuses of OK, INFO or WARNING severity are considered valid.

The wrapper behaves as follows with respect to the validation status:

Parameters:
target - the target observable being wrapped. Must be in the same realm as the MultiValidator.
Returns:
an IObservableValue which stays in sync with the given target observable only with the validation status is valid.

getTargets

public IObservableList getTargets()
Description copied from class: ValidationStatusProvider
Returns an IObservableList < IObservable > containing the target observables (if any) that are being tracked by this validation status provider.

Specified by:
getTargets in class ValidationStatusProvider
Returns:
an IObservableList < IObservable > (may be empty)

getModels

public IObservableList getModels()
Description copied from class: ValidationStatusProvider
Returns an IObservableList < IObservable > containing the model observables (if any) that are being tracked by this validation status provider.

Specified by:
getModels in class ValidationStatusProvider
Returns:
an IObservableList < IObservable > (may be empty)

dispose

public void dispose()
Description copied from class: ValidationStatusProvider
Disposes of this ValidationStatusProvider. Subclasses may extend, but must call super.dispose().

Overrides:
dispose in class ValidationStatusProvider

Eclipse Platform
Release 3.6

Guidelines for using Eclipse APIs.

Copyright (c) Eclipse contributors and others 2000, 2010. All rights reserved.