JeeWiz Architect's Guide - MetaFactor Object


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JeeWiz Architect's Guide

Contents > 16. 'JeeWiz' Reference

16.7 MetaFactor Object

Used on

metaModel

Superclass metaElementBase

Subclassed By

metaClass

Description Meta-factors have much in common with meta-classes but their purpose is to factor out common parts from meta-classes. When a meta-class refers to a meta-factor (in a 'factor=' property which is a comma-separated list of meta-factor names), the contents of the meta-factor are 'added into' the meta-class's definition.

Meta-factors only make sense when more than one meta-class has the same characteristics. For example, in the CSharp object model (resources/cs/specification), the 'static-factor' is a meta-factor. It contains a single boolean property 'static', which denotes the concept of static (or one-per-class). It makes sense to make this a 'meta-factor', because it is used on multiple meta-classes.

Meta-factors can hold properties, lists, contained-elements, validators and other meta-factors. When lists of these items are accessed (e.g. getPropertyList()), JeeWiz creates the aggregate list from the meta-class's own definition, plus all factors, all the factors' factors etc.

Meta-factors can also have character data, which is treated as class implementation code. This is aggregated with any other code from the meta-class and any other meta-factors in the meta-class, and added to the generated implementation code for the meta-class's class.

Contained
Lists

1

Name   property

Type   metaProperty

Indexed property   name

2

Name   list

Type   metaList

Indexed property   name

3

Name   containedElement

Type   metaContainedElement

Indexed property   name

4

Name   validator

Type   metaValidator

GenerateAllList   false

Inherited
properties

description (base property)

template (base property)

text (base property)

jwpattern (base property)

advanced from metaElementBase.advanced

16.7.1	Property 'name'
16.7.2	Property 'factor'

16.7.1 Property 'name'

*Overrides*	metaElementBase.name
*Description*	The name of the factor. By convention, factors have names ending in '-factor'. If the factor contains only one property, list or metaContainedElement, by convention its name starts with the name of the contained item.
*Type*	String

16.7.2 Property 'factor'

*Description*	A meta-factor, or the meta-class (which is a subclass of meta-factor), references its own factors by the factor property. This is a comma-separated list (spaces allowed) of the names factors that the object or factor will aggregate. Note that XML allows you to place these on separate lines too, if the list of factors becomes too long to be conveniently placed on one line.
*Type*	String