Writers are used to write files or execute Java code, such as compilation, or deployment.

There are many types of Writers, this section deals with the interfaces and super classes.

• Class Hierarchy
• DictionaryWriter
• AbstractWriter
• Copyright
• Title Comment
• Version
• Authorship
• Imports
• AggregateWriter
• DeferredPrintWriter

Specific Writers are covered further in their respective sections.

Class Hierarchy

The top-level Writer class hierarchy is illustrated below: -

Dictionary Writer(com.javelin.generator.DictionaryWriter)

The Dictionary Writer is the interface that is used to write out code. The Dictionary Writer has the following properties, which are set on the Dictionary Writer before a command to write the file is called.

• The Server
• The Database name
• The Arguments
  

Writers are declared in the bdf as follows: -

[#]writer.[#]<index>=<fully qualified class name>

The # comment at the beginning of a line can be used to stop executing the writers at that point in the index. The # comment before the index stops just those writers being executed.

For example: -

writer.0=com.javelin.generator.beans.BeanInterfaceWriter
writer.1=com.javelin.generator.beans.BeanClassWriter
writer.#2=com.javelin.generator.beans.EnumeratedWriter

One or more arguments can be passed to a Dictionary Writer, as space separated Strings. For example: -

writer.0=com.javelin.generator.beans.BeanInterfaceWriter Arg1 Arg2 arg3

If the fully qualified class is not a Dictionary Writer JGenerator tries to find a main method to call, and pass the arguments to it, before calling the write method.

Abstract Writer (com.javelin.generator.AbstractWriter)

The Abstract Writer is a helper class that Writers can extend to get some basic functionality.

The Abstract Writer has the following functionality:-

• Basic Implementation of the DictionaryWriter.
• File Creation Functionality.
• Writing Comments, Copyrights and Headers.
• Writing Import lists.
• Writing special Strings.

Copyright

By default the AbstractWriter writes out version copyright for all files.

By default the copyright has the following syntax: -

<ClassName>.Copyright=<Copyright>

If this property is not found the following property is used: -

copyright=<Copyright>

Title Comments

By default the AbstractWriter writes out title comments for all files.

By default the title comment has the following syntax: -

<ClassName>.titleComment=<Comment>

If this property is not found "No Comment" is written.

For example the following property: -

AddressSession.titleComment=Interface for finding Address.

Will write the following in the Java headers: -

* Interface for saving, finding and removing an Address.

Authorship

By default the AbstractWriter writes out authorship comments for all files.

By default the author has the following syntax: -

<ClassName>.Author=<Author>

If this property is not found the following property is used: -

Author=<Author>

For example the following property: -

MyTable.Author=Javelin Software

Will write the following in the MyTable java header: -

* @author Javelin Software

Version

By default the AbstractWriter writes out version comments for all files.

By default the version has the following syntax: -

<ClassName>.Version=<Version>

If this property is not found the following property is used: -

Version=<Version>

For example the following property: -

Version=<1.0>

Will write the following in the Java headers: -

* @version 1.0

Imports

Imports can be added to remove ambigities. Imports can be added to all files using the syntax:

import.<N>=<import>

If this property is not found the following property is used: -

[<ClassName>.]import.<N>=<import>

Aggregate Writer(com.javelin.generator.AggregateWriter)

Aggregate Writers are used to call sets of predefined Writers with one command. Aggregate Writers are called with a single name argument, used to refer to a named set of writers. Calling sets of writers with one call keeps the list of writers being called down to a minimum. This allows developers to easily skip complete sets of writers with one comment.

This code sets up a set of writers with the name customwriters: -

customwriters.writer.0=com.javelin.generator.beans.BeanInterfaceWriter
customwriters.writer.1=com.javelin.generator.beans.BeanClassWriter

The custom writers can then be called once, as follows:-

writer.0=com.javelin.generator.AggregateWriter customwriters

The defaultdbf.properties file defines sets of Writers for different modules.