org.brains2b.console

Class Main

java.lang.Object

org.brains2b.console.Main

public class Main
extends java.lang.Object

Main is a class for applications that are depending on commandline argument, like console applications. Main together with ArgumentMap supply a convenient way to define arguments, their relation and optionality and report if the supplied arguments when starting the application are meet the defined argument requirements.

The way to use this class is to extend your own class that contains a main method.

1. Before you do anything to start the application create an ArgumentMap and add arguments and options to it.
2. Call the setArgumentMap(ActionMap) supplying your argument map to it.
3. Afiter this you can call makeArgumentList(String[] args) with the arguments passed from main.
4. Alle recognized arguments are now available through getArgument(String name), supplying your defined name for the argument.

Note:If no ArgumentMap is supplied to setArgumentMap(ArgumentMap) an argument list is created with each argument supplied to makeArgumentList(String[]) with as name the numeric location of the argument starting at 0 and the value of the argument from that location in the array. All exceptions thrown by the ArgumentMap are processed through handleException(ArgumentException) if you want to do anything other then writing it to System.err overwrite this function. The way I usually apply Main is: public class AConsole { public AConsole() { super(); init(); //other code } public static void main (String[] args) { AConsole a=new AConsole(); a.makeArguments(args); a.start(); } private void init() { ArgumentMap arg=new ArgumentMap(); //add arguments setArgumentMap(arg); } private void start() { //do your thing } }

Version:

0.10.1 [25-11-2006]

Author:

dennis@brains2b.nl

See Also:

ArgumentMap

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
Main() Constructor for Main.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
java.lang.String	getArgument(java.lang.String name) gets the value of an argument defined by name.
protected ArgumentMap	getArgumentMap() gets the ArgumentMap.
protected void	handleException(ArgumentException ex) Default function for handling ArgumentException(s).
void	makeArgumentList(java.lang.String[] args) Makes the argument list on the basis of a defined ArgumentMap and the supplied array of arguments
void	setArgument(java.lang.String name, java.lang.String value) set arguments to the list of arguments.
protected void	setArgumentMap(ArgumentMap argumentMap) Sets the ArgumentMap.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

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

Constructor Detail

Main

public Main()

Constructor for Main.

Method Detail

getArgumentMap

protected ArgumentMap getArgumentMap()

gets the ArgumentMap.

Returns:

ArgumentMap

setArgumentMap

protected void setArgumentMap(ArgumentMap argumentMap)

Sets the ArgumentMap.

Parameters:

argumentMap - ArgumentMap, the created ArgumentMap

getArgument

public java.lang.String getArgument(java.lang.String name)

gets the value of an argument defined by name.

Returns:

String, the value belonging to argument name or null if argument was not defined

Throws:

java.lang.NullPointerException - thrown if there was no argument list made (forgot to call makeArgumentList()?)

setArgument

public void setArgument(java.lang.String name,
                        java.lang.String value)

set arguments to the list of arguments.

This method does not check for validity of the argument and can possibly overwrite arguments set with makeArgumentList. Checking your arguments should be done by your own code.

Parameters:

name -

value -

makeArgumentList

public void makeArgumentList(java.lang.String[] args)

Makes the argument list on the basis of a defined ArgumentMap and the supplied array of arguments

If an ArgumentMap exists the arguments are passed to ArgumentMap.getList(String[])

If no ArgumentMap exists a List is made with the numeric location of the argument as name and the corresponding value of the Array as value.

Parameters:

args - String[] An array of arguments

See Also:

ArgumentMap.getList(java.lang.String[])

handleException

protected void handleException(ArgumentException ex)

Default function for handling ArgumentException(s).

It writes the argument that caused the exception and the exception message to the System.err outstream and exits the VM with code 1.

Overwrite if you want it to do something else.
Be sure to break normal operation if not exiting while arguments and options you set to required are not actually there and you have not set default values.

Parameters:

ex - ArgumentException