Package javax.xml.xpath

Interface XPath

All Known Implementing Classes:
XPathImpl
public interface XPath

XPath provides access to the XPath evaluation environment and expressions.

Evaluation of XPath Expressions.
context If a request is made to evaluate the expression in the absence of a context item, an empty document node will be used for the context. For the purposes of evaluating XPath expressions, a DocumentFragment is treated like a Document node.
variables If the expression contains a variable reference, its value will be found through the XPathVariableResolver set with setXPathVariableResolver(XPathVariableResolver resolver). An XPathExpressionException is raised if the variable resolver is undefined or the resolver returns null for the variable. The value of a variable must be immutable through the course of any single evaluation.
functions If the expression contains a function reference, the function will be found through the XPathFunctionResolver set with setXPathFunctionResolver(XPathFunctionResolver resolver). An XPathExpressionException is raised if the function resolver is undefined or the function resolver returns null for the function.
QNames QNames in the expression are resolved against the XPath namespace context set with setNamespaceContext(NamespaceContext nsContext).
result This result of evaluating an expression is converted to an instance of the desired return type. Valid return types are defined in XPathConstants. Conversion to the return type follows XPath conversion rules.
Since:
1.5
Version:
$Revision: 569998 $, $Date: 2007-08-26 21:40:02 -0700 (Sun, 26 Aug 2007) $
Author:
Norman Walsh, Jeff Suttor
See Also:
XML Path Language (XPath) Version 1.0

  • Method Details

    • reset

      void reset()

      Reset this XPath to its original configuration.

      XPath is reset to the same state as when it was created with XPathFactory.newXPath(). reset() is designed to allow the reuse of existing XPaths thus saving resources associated with the creation of new XPaths.

      The reset XPath is not guaranteed to have the same XPathFunctionResolver, XPathVariableResolver or NamespaceContext Objects, e.g. Object.equals(Object obj). It is guaranteed to have a functionally equal XPathFunctionResolver, XPathVariableResolver and NamespaceContext.

    • setXPathVariableResolver

      void setXPathVariableResolver​(XPathVariableResolver resolver)

      Establish a variable resolver.

      A NullPointerException is thrown if resolver is null.

      Parameters:
      resolver - Variable resolver.
      Throws:
      NullPointerException - If resolver is null.

    • getXPathVariableResolver

      XPathVariableResolver getXPathVariableResolver()

      Return the current variable resolver.

      null is returned in no variable resolver is in effect.

      Returns:
      Current variable resolver.

    • setXPathFunctionResolver

      void setXPathFunctionResolver​(XPathFunctionResolver resolver)

      Establish a function resolver.

      A NullPointerException is thrown if resolver is null.

      Parameters:
      resolver - XPath function resolver.
      Throws:
      NullPointerException - If resolver is null.

    • getXPathFunctionResolver

      XPathFunctionResolver getXPathFunctionResolver()

      Return the current function resolver.

      null is returned in no function resolver is in effect.

      Returns:
      Current function resolver.

    • setNamespaceContext

      void setNamespaceContext​(NamespaceContext nsContext)

      Establish a namespace context.

      A NullPointerException is thrown if nsContext is null.

      Parameters:
      nsContext - Namespace context to use.
      Throws:
      NullPointerException - If nsContext is null.

    • getNamespaceContext

      NamespaceContext getNamespaceContext()

      Return the current namespace context.

      null is returned in no namespace context is in effect.

      Returns:
      Current Namespace context.

    • compile

      XPathExpression compile​(String expression) throws XPathExpressionException

      Compile an XPath expression for later evaluation.

      If expression contains any XPathFunctions, they must be available via the XPathFunctionResolver. An XPathExpressionException will be thrown if the XPathFunction cannot be resolved with the XPathFunctionResolver.

      If expression is null, a NullPointerException is thrown.

      Parameters:
      expression - The XPath expression.
      Returns:
      Compiled XPath expression.
      Throws:
      XPathExpressionException - If expression cannot be compiled.
      NullPointerException - If expression is null.

    • evaluate

      Object evaluate​(String expression, Object item, QName returnType) throws XPathExpressionException

      Evaluate an XPath expression in the specified context and return the result as the specified type.

      See Evaluation of XPath Expressions for context item evaluation, variable, function and QName resolution and return type conversion.

      If returnType is not one of the types defined in XPathConstants ( NUMBER, STRING, BOOLEAN, NODE or NODESET) then an IllegalArgumentException is thrown.

      If a null value is provided for item, an empty document will be used for the context. If expression or returnType is null, then a NullPointerException is thrown.

      Parameters:
      expression - The XPath expression.
      item - The starting context (node or node list, for example).
      returnType - The desired return type.
      Returns:
      Result of evaluating an XPath expression as an Object of returnType.
      Throws:
      XPathExpressionException - If expression cannot be evaluated.
      IllegalArgumentException - If returnType is not one of the types defined in XPathConstants.
      NullPointerException - If expression or returnType is null.

    • evaluate

      String evaluate​(String expression, Object item) throws XPathExpressionException

      Evaluate an XPath expression in the specified context and return the result as a String.

      This method calls evaluate(String expression, Object item, QName returnType) with a returnType of XPathConstants.STRING.

      See Evaluation of XPath Expressions for context item evaluation, variable, function and QName resolution and return type conversion.

      If a null value is provided for item, an empty document will be used for the context. If expression is null, then a NullPointerException is thrown.

      Parameters:
      expression - The XPath expression.
      item - The starting context (node or node list, for example).
      Returns:
      The String that is the result of evaluating the expression and converting the result to a String.
      Throws:
      XPathExpressionException - If expression cannot be evaluated.
      NullPointerException - If expression is null.

    • evaluate

      Object evaluate​(String expression, InputSource source, QName returnType) throws XPathExpressionException

      Evaluate an XPath expression in the context of the specified InputSource and return the result as the specified type.

      This method builds a data model for the InputSource and calls evaluate(String expression, Object item, QName returnType) on the resulting document object.

      See Evaluation of XPath Expressions for context item evaluation, variable, function and QName resolution and return type conversion.

      If returnType is not one of the types defined in XPathConstants, then an IllegalArgumentException is thrown.

      If expression, source or returnType is null, then a NullPointerException is thrown.

      Parameters:
      expression - The XPath expression.
      source - The input source of the document to evaluate over.
      returnType - The desired return type.
      Returns:
      The Object that encapsulates the result of evaluating the expression.
      Throws:
      XPathExpressionException - If expression cannot be evaluated.
      IllegalArgumentException - If returnType is not one of the types defined in XPathConstants.
      NullPointerException - If expression, source or returnType is null.

    • evaluate

      String evaluate​(String expression, InputSource source) throws XPathExpressionException

      Evaluate an XPath expression in the context of the specified InputSource and return the result as a String.

      This method calls evaluate(String expression, InputSource source, QName returnType) with a returnType of XPathConstants.STRING.

      See Evaluation of XPath Expressions for context item evaluation, variable, function and QName resolution and return type conversion.

      If expression or source is null, then a NullPointerException is thrown.

      Parameters:
      expression - The XPath expression.
      source - The InputSource of the document to evaluate over.
      Returns:
      The String that is the result of evaluating the expression and converting the result to a String.
      Throws:
      XPathExpressionException - If expression cannot be evaluated.
      NullPointerException - If expression or source is null.