de.frame4j.util

Interface UIInfo

All Known Implementing Classes:

App, AskAlert, BlinkOnPi, Del, Era, FS, FuR, HelloFrame4J, MakeDigest, PKextr, SAXdemo, SendMail, SVNkeys, SVNkeysFilter, TestOnPi, UCopy, Update, XMLio

@MinDoc(copyright="Copyright 2009, 2015  Albrecht Weinert",
        author="Albrecht Weinert",
        version="V.37",
        lastModified="10.04.2021",
        usage="type for (alterable) date/time including zone/calendar info",
        purpose="the type (interface) of an alterable Time-Object")
public interface UIInfo

A set of user interface information elements.

Objects of this type (objects of an implementing class) provide a common set of text information for user interfaces and documentation.

Applications might be able to provide some textual user information, like an online help text or version information. Usually those texts are asked for by menu or by command line options like -help or -version.
This interface type provides an uniform way to gather those texts.

Implementations may, of course, directly provide those informations. Often it's better to generate them from Annotations or (preferably nationalised) from associated properties using Frame4J's applicable helper methods.

© Copyright 2009 Albrecht Weinert

See Also:

ComVar, TimeHelper, TextHelper, AppHelper, PropMap, Prop, AppLangMap, MinDoc

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
String	getAbout() Get a small abstract or about text on the object or its class.
String	getAuthor() Get the author's name.
String	getCopyright() Get a copyright line.
default String	getHelp() Get a comprehensive help text.
String	getName() Get the name.
String	getTitle() Get a title text.
String	getUsage() Get a one line usage hint.
String	getVersDate() Get a version line.

Method Detail

getAuthor

String getAuthor()

Get the author's name.

Returned is the first name and last name of the (software's) author without surrounding whitespace. Multiple authors are separated by ", ". The returned text is not longer than 62 characters.

The named person(s) may be different from those (optionally) named in versDate as last modifier or in copyright as copyright holder.

Returns:

the name of the source code author

getAbout

String getAbout()

Get a small abstract or about text on the object or its class.

The returned value should be a small synopsis in the sense of the usual about texts. The text may be in English or the author's language, but preferable nationalised to a language set or the platform language.

The returned text may be multi-line, with no line length longer than 78 characters and with no (0) preceding or trailing empty lines.

If not available or applicable, null is returned.

Returns:

the application's short about text

getTitle

String getTitle()

Get a title text.

The returned value is for the use as windows titles for graphical components or command shells, if the output to be seen there is generated mainly by this object or application.

The returned text is not longer than 78 characters and has no surrounding whitespace.

If not available or applicable, null is returned.

Returns:

the (window) title

getUsage

String getUsage()

Get a one line usage hint.

The returned value is a little one line usage hint for this object or application, like:
java de.frame4j.time.TimeHelper ["time to parse" ["time..

The returned text should not be longer than 78 characters and has no surrounding whitespace.

If not available or applicable, null is returned.

The returned value is to be used as default for / by getHelp().

Returns:

a short hint text on the application's usage

getHelp

default String getHelp()

Get a comprehensive help text.

The returned value should on the effect and the usage of the object or application from the sight of the user, using it by the provided interface at the command line or how ever applicable. The text may be in English or the author's language, but preferable nationalised to a set (by command) r the platform language.

The returned text may be multi-line up to one page, with no line length longer than 78 characters and with no (0) preceding or trailing empty lines.

Any class / object that can be handled by a user interface should explain its usage, its effect, the handling the options, (command line) parameters and their effect in concise way.

If no such description can be made available, getUsage() is returned.
Only if really not applicable, null is returned. (But then the question is suggesting: Why the the hell did the programmer implement this interface anyway?)

Returns:

the application's comprehensive help text

getCopyright

String getCopyright()

Get a copyright line.

The returned value is just one line in this exemplary form:
Copyright 1997 - 2009, 2016 Albrecht Weinert

The returned text is not be longer than 78 characters, has no surrounding whitespace and is never null.

Returns:

the application's copyright text

getVersDate

String getVersDate()

Get a version line.

The returned value is just one line in this exemplary form:
V.59 (09.04.2008)
containing a version info plus its date.

The content is usually generated by letting a versioning system (SVN) making its repugnantly formated "'Revision: 55 '" and "'Date: 2009-01-23 18:04:19 +0100 (Fr, 23 Jan 2009) '" and having it beautified by SVNkeys in deployment script; see also MinDoc.

The (beautified) returned text is not be longer than 78 characters, has no surrounding whitespace and is never null.

Returns:

the application's version and revision date

getName

String getName()

Get the name.

The returned value is a simple short name, has no surrounding whitespace and is never null.

It is either a given non empty name or the class name without package(s).

Returns:

the application's short name