notio
Class Referent

java.lang.Object
  |
  +--notio.Referent

public class Referent
extends java.lang.Object
implements java.io.Serializable

A class for storing the referent of a concept.

See Also:
Serialized Form

Constructor Summary
Referent(Designator newDesignator)
          Constructs a new referent with no quantifier and a single designator.
Referent(Designator[] newDesignators)
          Constructs a new referent with no quantifier and an array of designators.
Referent(Macro newQuantifier)
          Constructs a new referent with the specified quantifier and no designator.
Referent(Macro newQuantifier, Designator newDesignator)
          Constructs a new referent with the specified quantifier and single designator.
Referent(Macro newQuantifier, Designator[] newDesignators)
          Constructs a new referent with the specified quantifier and array of designators.
 
Method Summary
 Referent copy(CopyingScheme copyScheme)
          Performs a copy operation on this referent according to the the specified CopyingScheme.
 Referent copy(CopyingScheme copyScheme, java.util.Hashtable substitutionTable)
          Performs a copy operation on this referent according to the the specified CopyingScheme.
 Designator[] getDesignators()
          Returns this concept's designators (null indicates generic concept).
 Concept getEnclosingConcept()
          Returns the concept that encloses this referent.
 Macro getQuantifier()
          Returns this referent's quantifier (null indicates existential quantifier).
 boolean isContext()
          Returns true if this referent forms a context (has a descriptor designator).
static MatchResult matchReferents(Referent first, Referent second, MatchingScheme matchingScheme)
          Compares two referents to decide if they match.
 
Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait
 

Constructor Detail

Referent

public Referent(Macro newQuantifier,
                Designator[] newDesignators)
Constructs a new referent with the specified quantifier and array of designators.
Parameters:
newQuantifier - the quantifier for this referent.
newDesignators - an array of designators for this referent.

Referent

public Referent(Macro newQuantifier,
                Designator newDesignator)
Constructs a new referent with the specified quantifier and single designator.
Parameters:
newQuantifier - the quantifier for this referent.
newDesignator - a single designator for this referent.

Referent

public Referent(Macro newQuantifier)
Constructs a new referent with the specified quantifier and no designator.
Parameters:
newQuantifier - the quantifier for this referent.

Referent

public Referent(Designator[] newDesignators)
Constructs a new referent with no quantifier and an array of designators.
Parameters:
newDesignators - an array of designators for this referent.

Referent

public Referent(Designator newDesignator)
Constructs a new referent with no quantifier and a single designator.
Parameters:
newDesignator - a single designator for this referent.
Method Detail

getQuantifier

public Macro getQuantifier()
Returns this referent's quantifier (null indicates existential quantifier).
Returns:
the concept's quantifier.

getDesignators

public Designator[] getDesignators()
Returns this concept's designators (null indicates generic concept).
Returns:
an array containing this concept's designators or null.

isContext

public boolean isContext()
Returns true if this referent forms a context (has a descriptor designator).
Returns:
true if this referent forms a context.

getEnclosingConcept

public Concept getEnclosingConcept()
Returns the concept that encloses this referent.
Returns:
the concept that encloses this referent.

copy

public Referent copy(CopyingScheme copyScheme)
Performs a copy operation on this referent according to the the specified CopyingScheme. The result may be a new referent or simply a reference to this referent depending on the scheme. Coreference sets will be copied as required by the CopyingScheme.
Parameters:
copyScheme - the copying scheme used to control the copy operation.
Returns:
the result of the copy operation.

copy

public Referent copy(CopyingScheme copyScheme,
                     java.util.Hashtable substitutionTable)
Performs a copy operation on this referent according to the the specified CopyingScheme. The result may be a new referent or simply a reference to this referent depending on the scheme. Coreference sets will be copied as required by the CopyingScheme.
Parameters:
copyScheme - the copying scheme used to control the copy operation.
substitutionTable - a hashtable containing copied objects available due to earlier copy operations.
Returns:
the result of the copy operation.

matchReferents

public static MatchResult matchReferents(Referent first,
                                         Referent second,
                                         MatchingScheme matchingScheme)
Compares two referents to decide if they match. The exact semantics of matching are determined by the matching scheme.
Parameters:
first - the first referent being matched.
second - the second referent being matched.
matchingScheme - the matching scheme that determines how the match is performed.
Returns:
true if the two referents match according to the scheme's criteria.


Copyright 1998-1999 Finnegan Southey