• NAME
• VERSION
• DATE
• SYNOPSIS
• DESCRIPTION
• INTERFACE
  • Constructors
  • Destructors
  • Public Class Methods
  • Public Instance Methods
• PRIVATE
  • Private Class Methods
  • Private Instance Methods
• NOTES
• AUTHOR
• SEE ALSO

NAME

Bric::Biz::Element - Bricolage Document Element base class

VERSION

$LastChangedRevision$

DATE

$LastChangedDate$

SYNOPSIS

my @elements = Bric::Biz::Element->list($params)

$id = $element->get_id;
$element = $element->activate;
$element = $element->deactivate;
my $active = $element->is_active;
$element = $element->save;

DESCRIPTION

This class defins the common structure of elements, the building blocks of Bricolage story and media documents. There are two types of elements: container elements and data elements. Container elements can contain any number of container and data subelements. Data elements contain values, and corrspond to fields in the Bricolage UI. See Bric::Biz::Element::Container and Bric::Biz::Element::Field for details of their interfaces and how they vary from Bric::Biz::Element.

INTERFACE

Constructors

• my $element = Bric::Biz::Element->new($init)

  Constructs a new element. Its attributes can be initialized via the $init hash reference. See the subclasses for a list of parameters. Cannot be called directly, but must be called from a subclass.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my @elements = Bric::Biz::Element->list($params)

  Searches for and returns a list or anonymous array of element objects. Cannot be called directly, but must be called from a subclass.

  Throws:

  • Method Not Implemented

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

Destructors

• $element->DESTROY

  Dummy method to prevent wasting time trying to AUTOLOAD DESTROY.

Public Class Methods

• $meths = Bric::Biz::Element->my_meths
• my @meths = Bric::Biz::Element->my_meths(TRUE)
• my @meths = Bric::Biz::Element->my_meths(0, TRUE)

  Returns an anonymous hash of introspection data for this object. If called with a true argument, it will return an ordered list or anonymous array of introspection data. If a second true argument is passed instead of a first, then a list or anonymous array of introspection data will be returned for properties that uniquely identify an object (excluding id, which is assumed).

  Each hash key is the name of a property or attribute of the object. The value for a hash key is another anonymous hash containing the following keys:

  • name - The name of the property or attribute. Is the same as the hash key when an anonymous hash is returned.
  • disp - The display name of the property or attribute.
  • get_meth - A reference to the method that will retrieve the value of the property or attribute.
  • get_args - An anonymous array of arguments to pass to a call to get_meth in order to retrieve the value of the property or attribute.
  • set_meth - A reference to the method that will set the value of the property or attribute.
  • set_args - An anonymous array of arguments to pass to a call to set_meth in order to set the value of the property or attribute.
  • type - The type of value the property or attribute contains. There are only three types:
  • short
  • date
  • blob
  • len - If the value is a 'short' value, this hash key contains the length of the field.
  • search - The property is searchable via the list() and list_ids() methods.
  • req - The property or attribute is required.
  • props - An anonymous hash of properties used to display the property or attribute. Possible keys include:
  • type

    The display field type. Possible values are

  • text
  • textarea
  • password
  • hidden
  • radio
  • checkbox
  • select
  • length - The Length, in letters, to display a text or password field.
  • maxlength - The maximum length of the property or value - usually defined by the SQL DDL.
  • rows - The number of rows to format in a textarea field.
  • cols - The number of columns to format in a textarea field.
  • vals - An anonymous hash of key/value pairs reprsenting the values and display names to use in a select list.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my @elements = Bric::Biz::Element->list($params)

  Searches for and returns a list or anonymous array of element object IDs. Cannot be called directly, but must be called from a subclass.

  Throws:

  • Method Not Implemented

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

Public Instance Methods

• my $id = $p->get_id

  Returns the element ID.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $name = $p->get_name

  Returns the element name.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $key_name = $p->get_key_name

  Returns the element key name.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $description = $p->get_description

  Returns the element description.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $p = $p->set_description( $description )

  Sets the element description, first converting non-Unix line endings.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $parent_id = $p->get_parent_id

  Returns the ID of the element's parent element.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $p->set_parent_id($parent_id)

  Sets the ID of the element's parent element.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $place = $p->get_place

  Returns the element place, that is, its place in the order of subelements of the parent element.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $p->set_place($place)

  Sets the element place, that is, its place in the order of subelements of the parent element.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $object_type = $p->get_object_type

  Returns the element object type ("story" or "media");

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $p->set_object_type($object_type)

  Sets the element object type ("story" or "media");

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $object_instance_id = $element->get_object_instance_id

  Returns the ID of the version of the document (story or media) that the element is associated with.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $element->set_object_instance_id($object_instance_id)

  Sets the ID of the version of the document (story or media) that the element is associated with.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $has_name = $element->has_name($name);

  Returns true if an element has a name matching the $name argument. Note that this is not a direct comparison to the name attribute of the element object. Rather, it converts $name so that it is all lowercase and its non-alphanumeric characters are changed to underscores. The resulting value is then compared to the element's key_name attribute. In general, it's a better idea to use has_key_name(), or to do direct key name comparisons yourself. This method is provided for backwards compatability.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $has_key_name = $element->has_key_name($key_name)

  Returns true if an element has a key name matching the $key_name argument.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $parent_element = $element->get_parent

  Returns the parent element object.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $element = $element->activate

  Activates the element.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• $element = $element->deactivate()

  Deactivates the element.

  Throws: NONE.

  Side Effects: NONE.

  Notes: NONE.

• my $is_active $element->is_active

  Returns true if the element is active, and false if it is not.

  Throws:

  NONE

  Side Effects:

  NONE

  Notes:

  NONE

PRIVATE

NONE

Private Class Methods

NONE

Private Instance Methods

NONE

NOTES

NONE

AUTHOR

michael soderstrom

SEE ALSO

perl, Bric, Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story, Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Media, Bric::Biz::ElementType, Bric::Biz::Element::Container, Bric::Biz::Element::Tile