DFEntity (com.chemaxon.plexus.core:plexus-dif-api)

All Superinterfaces:

DFItem, PropertiesEditingConfigurable
```
public interface DFEntity
extends DFItem
```
The definition of an entity that contains fields. This can be thought of as the definition of data objects that can be used by Discovery Framework (DIF).

A DFEntity is an abstraction of a set of values organised in a row and column paradigm. A database table would be a typical example, but the abstraction allows a single entity to represent multiple tables such as a master table and a lookup table. Also, the source data can be transformed (e.g pivoted) to generate the row/column model. A DFEntity contains one or more DFFields, and can also define DFRelationships and indexes.

The DFEntity interface just defines the "structure" of the entity (e.g. think of it as the DDL aspects of SQL). To work with the values contained in the DFEntity you need to obtain a DFEntityDataProvider. Use DFEntityDataProviders.find(DFEntity).

See Also:

DFSchema, DFField, DFEntityDataProvider, DFCapability

Nested Class Summary
- Nested classes/interfaces inherited from interface com.im.df.api.ddl.DFItem
  DFItem.Handle<T extends DFItem>
- Nested classes/interfaces inherited from interface com.im.df.api.support.PropertiesEditingConfigurable
  PropertiesEditingConfigurable.Extra

Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type Field Description

static java.lang.String PROP_FIELDS
The 'fields' property name.

static java.lang.String PROP_LISTS
The 'lists' property name.
- Fields inherited from interface com.im.df.api.ddl.DFItem
  PROP_CAPABILITIES, PROP_DESCRIPTION, PROP_ID, PROP_NAME, PROP_TYPE, PROP_VALID

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`DFContainer<DFField>`	`getFields()`	Gets the fields in this entity.
`DFItem.Handle<DFEntity>`	`getHandle()`	Gets the handle for this entity.
`DFField`	`getIdField()`	Gets the ID field for this entity.
`DFContainer<DFList>`	`getLists()`	Gets the lists associated with this entity.
`DFSchema`	`getSchema()`	Gets the IJC schema that this entity belongs to.

Methods inherited from interface com.im.df.api.ddl.DFItem
addPropertyChangeListener, getCapabilities, getDescription, getId, getName, getType, isValid, removePropertyChangeListener, setDescription, setName

Methods inherited from interface com.im.df.api.support.PropertiesEditingConfigurable
isPropertyEditable

- Field Detail
  - PROP_FIELDS
```
static final java.lang.String PROP_FIELDS
```
    The 'fields' property name.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
  - PROP_LISTS
```
static final java.lang.String PROP_LISTS
```
    The 'lists' property name.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
- Method Detail
  - getSchema
```
DFSchema getSchema()
```
    Gets the IJC schema that this entity belongs to.
    
    Returns:
    
    The parent DFSchema instance.
  - getFields
```
DFContainer<DFField> getFields()
```
    Gets the fields in this entity. The fields will also include the id field.
    
    Returns:
    
    The container with the fields belonging to this entity.
  - getIdField
```
DFField getIdField()
```
    Gets the ID field for this entity. The ID field is a field which values can uniquely identify data rows obtained for this entity.
    
    Returns:
    
    Value of property idField.
  - getLists
```
DFContainer<DFList> getLists()
```
    Gets the lists associated with this entity.
    
    Returns:
    
    The container with the lists based on this entity.
  - getHandle
```
DFItem.Handle<DFEntity> getHandle()
```
    Gets the handle for this entity.
    
    Specified by:
    
    getHandle in interface DFItem
    
    Returns:
    
    This entity's handle.