MetaClass (groovy 2.4.0 API)

groovy.lang.MetaClass

All Superinterfaces:

MetaObjectProtocol

A MetaClass within Groovy defines the behaviour of any given Groovy or Java class. The MetaClass interface defines two parts. The client API, which is defined via the extend MetaObjectProtocol interface and the contract with the Groovy runtime system. In general the compiler and Groovy runtime engine interact with methods on this class whilst MetaClass clients interact with the method defined by the MetaObjectProtocol interface
Authors:
John Wilson
Graeme Rocher
See Also:
MetaClassImpl
MetaObjectProtocol

Methods Summary

Methods
Type	Name and description
`Object`	`getAttribute(Class sender, Object receiver, String messageName, boolean useSuper)` Retrieves the value of an attribute (field).
`ClassNode`	`getClassNode()` Obtains a reference to the original AST for the MetaClass if it is available at runtime
`List<MetaMethod>`	`getMetaMethods()` Retrieves a list of MetaMethods held by this class
`List<MetaMethod>`	`getMethods()` Retrieves a list of Methods held by the class
`List<MetaProperty>`	`getProperties()` Retrieves a list of MetaProperty instances that the MetaClass has
`Object`	`getProperty(Class sender, Object receiver, String property, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)`
`void`	`initialize()` Complete the initialisation process.
`Object`	`invokeMethod(Class sender, Object receiver, String methodName, Object[] arguments, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)`
`Object`	`invokeMissingMethod(Object instance, String methodName, Object[] arguments)`
`Object`	`invokeMissingProperty(Object instance, String propertyName, Object optionalValue, boolean isGetter)` Invokes the propertyMissing method otherwise throws a MissingPropertyException
`MetaMethod`	`pickMethod(String methodName, Class[] arguments)` Selects a method by name and argument classes.
`int`	`selectConstructorAndTransformArguments(int numberOfConstructors, Object[] arguments)` Internal method to support Groovy runtime.
`void`	`setAttribute(Class sender, Object receiver, String messageName, Object messageValue, boolean useSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)` Sets the value of an attribute (field).
`void`	`setProperty(Class sender, Object receiver, String property, Object value, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)`

Inherited Methods Summary

Inherited Methods
Methods inherited from class	Name
`interface MetaObjectProtocol`	`getAttribute, getMetaMethod, getMetaProperty, getMethods, getProperties, getProperty, getStaticMetaMethod, getTheClass, hasProperty, invokeConstructor, invokeMethod, invokeMethod, invokeStaticMethod, respondsTo, respondsTo, setAttribute, setProperty`

- Method Detail
  - public Object getAttribute(Class sender, Object receiver, String messageName, boolean useSuper)
    
    Retrieves the value of an attribute (field). This method is to support the Groovy runtime and not for general client API usage.
    Parameters:
    sender - The class of the object that requested the attribute
    receiver - The instance
    messageName - The name of the attribute
    useSuper - Whether to look-up on the super class or not
    Returns:
    The attribute value
  - public ClassNode getClassNode()
    
    Obtains a reference to the original AST for the MetaClass if it is available at runtime
    Returns:
    The original AST or null if it cannot be returned
  - public List<MetaMethod> getMetaMethods()
    
    Retrieves a list of MetaMethods held by this class
    Returns:
    A list of MetaMethods
  - public List<MetaMethod> getMethods()
    
    Retrieves a list of Methods held by the class
    Returns:
    A list of Methods
  - public List<MetaProperty> getProperties()
    
    Retrieves a list of MetaProperty instances that the MetaClass has
    Returns:
    A list of MetaProperty instances
    See Also:
    MetaProperty
  - public Object getProperty(Class sender, Object receiver, String property, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)
    
    Retrieves a property on the given receiver for the specified arguments. The sender is the class that is requesting the property from the object. The MetaClass will attempt to establish the method to invoke based on the name and arguments provided.
    The isCallToSuper and fromInsideClass help the Groovy runtime perform optimisations on the call to go directly to the super class if necessary
    Parameters:
    sender - The java.lang.Class instance that requested the property
    receiver - The Object which the property is being retrieved from
    property - The name of the property
    isCallToSuper - Whether the call is to a super class property
    fromInsideClass - ??
    Returns:
    The properties value
  - public void initialize()
    
    Complete the initialisation process. After this method is called no methods should be added to the meta class. Invocation of methods or access to fields/properties is forbidden unless this method is called. This method should contain any initialisation code, taking a longer time to complete. An example is the creation of the Reflector. It is suggested to synchronize this method.
  - public Object invokeMethod(Class sender, Object receiver, String methodName, Object[] arguments, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)
    
    Invokes a method on the given receiver for the specified arguments. The sender is the class that invoked the method on the object. The MetaClass will attempt to establish the method to invoke based on the name and arguments provided.
    The isCallToSuper and fromInsideClass help the Groovy runtime perform optimisations on the call to go directly to the super class if necessary
    Parameters:
    sender - The java.lang.Class instance that invoked the method
    receiver - The object which the method was invoked on
    methodName - The name of the method
    arguments - The arguments to the method
    isCallToSuper - Whether the method is a call to a super class method
    fromInsideClass - Whether the call was invoked from the inside or the outside of the class
    Returns:
    The return value of the method
  - public Object invokeMissingMethod(Object instance, String methodName, Object[] arguments)
    
    Attempts to invoke the methodMissing method otherwise throws a MissingMethodException
    Parameters:
    instance - The instance to invoke methodMissing on
    methodName - The name of the method
    arguments - The arguments to the method
    Returns:
    The results of methodMissing or throws MissingMethodException
    See Also:
    MissingMethodException
  - public Object invokeMissingProperty(Object instance, String propertyName, Object optionalValue, boolean isGetter)
    
    Invokes the propertyMissing method otherwise throws a MissingPropertyException
    Parameters:
    instance - The instance of the class
    propertyName - The name of the property
    optionalValue - The value of the property which could be null in the case of a getter
    isGetter - Whether the missing property event was the result of a getter or a setter
    Returns:
    The result of the propertyMissing method or throws MissingPropertyException
  - public MetaMethod pickMethod(String methodName, Class[] arguments)
    
    Selects a method by name and argument classes. This method does not search for an exact match, it searches for a compatible method. For this the method selection mechanism is used as provided by the implementation of this MetaClass. pickMethod may or may not be used during the method selection process when invoking a method. There is no warranty for that.
    throws:
    GroovyRuntimeException if there is more than one matching method
    
    Parameters:
    methodName - the name of the method to pick
    arguments - the method arguments
    Returns:
    a matching MetaMethod or null
  - public int selectConstructorAndTransformArguments(int numberOfConstructors, Object[] arguments)
    
    Internal method to support Groovy runtime. Not for client usage.
    Parameters:
    numberOfConstructors - The number of constructors
    arguments - The arguments
    Returns:
    selected index
  - public void setAttribute(Class sender, Object receiver, String messageName, Object messageValue, boolean useSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)
    
    Sets the value of an attribute (field). This method is to support the Groovy runtime and not for general client API usage.
    Parameters:
    sender - The class of the object that requested the attribute
    receiver - The instance
    messageName - The name of the attribute
    messageValue - The value of the attribute
    useSuper - Whether to look-up on the super class or not
    fromInsideClass - Whether the call happened from the inside or the outside of a class
  - public void setProperty(Class sender, Object receiver, String property, Object value, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)
    
    Sets a property on the given receiver for the specified arguments. The sender is the class that is setting the property from the object. The MetaClass will attempt to establish the method to invoke based on the name and arguments provided.
    The isCallToSuper and fromInsideClass help the Groovy runtime perform optimisations on the call to go directly to the super class if necessary
    Parameters:
    sender - The java.lang.Class instance that is mutating the property
    receiver - The Object which the property is being set on
    property - The name of the property
    value - The new value of the property to set
    isCallToSuper - Whether the call is to a super class property
    fromInsideClass - Whether the call was invoked from the inside or the outside of the class

Summary:
Method

| Detail:
Method

[Java] Interface MetaClass

Methods Summary

Inherited Methods Summary

Method Detail

public Object getAttribute(Class sender, Object receiver, String messageName, boolean useSuper)

public ClassNode getClassNode()

public List<MetaMethod> getMetaMethods()

public List<MetaMethod> getMethods()

public List<MetaProperty> getProperties()

public Object getProperty(Class sender, Object receiver, String property, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)

public void initialize()

public Object invokeMethod(Class sender, Object receiver, String methodName, Object[] arguments, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)

public Object invokeMissingMethod(Object instance, String methodName, Object[] arguments)

public Object invokeMissingProperty(Object instance, String propertyName, Object optionalValue, boolean isGetter)

public MetaMethod pickMethod(String methodName, Class[] arguments)

public int selectConstructorAndTransformArguments(int numberOfConstructors, Object[] arguments)

public void setAttribute(Class sender, Object receiver, String messageName, Object messageValue, boolean useSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)

public void setProperty(Class sender, Object receiver, String property, Object value, boolean isCallToSuper, boolean fromInsideClass)