Main Data Classes in the MBAT Metadata Interface

• DataSourceRef Metadata information about a particular data source.
• SearchParam A search parameter class supplied to the data source interface classes that contains the parameter passed to the actual data sources.
• SearchParamGroup Groupings of search parameters as they appear in the initial MBAT query frame. These groupings are based on the type of query. For example, to query by "subject", SearchParams for species, strain and treatment are grouped together.
• AnnotType (temporary) A class containing static String definitions from a previous implementation of MBAT search. This class will be removed once the search parameters are completely abstracted within MBAT (that is, MBAT no longer needs to know anything about the meaning of a particular parameter).

Main Methods

• SearchParamGroup[] getSearchParamGroups() Get the list of group objects which containing the list of SearchParams. This list is used to form the initial MBAT query panel.
• DataSourceRef[] getDataSourceRefs() Get the list of available data sources. The client will determine which sources are appropriate for a given search depending on which SearchParams are selected from the list of SearchGroups above.

Useful Variables in the Main Classes

• SearchParam

     int ID
     int selectType
     String code
     String description
     boolean isEditable
     SearchParam parent
     Vector <SearchParam> childList
     Object value
  

• DataSourceRef

     int ID
     String code 
     String description
     int protocol
     int dataTypeID
     Vector <SearchParam[]> reqParamList
     Vector <SearchParam> optParamList
  
     Vector<SearchParam> availableParamList
  

• SearchParamGroup

     int ID
     String code
     String name
     String description
     Vector <SearchParam> paramList
  
     int nPosition
  

Static enums associated with the above objects:

• SearchParam

     SELECT_TYPE_STRING
     SELECT_TYPE_LIST_ITEM 
     SELECT_TYPE_HIERARCH_ITEM (Temporary--The purpose of this type was to indicate that the 
                                data should be displayed as a JTree rather than a series of 
                                combo boxes.  However, this isn't really necessary since the 
                                depth of hierarchical list items can be used to determine whether 
                                or not a JTree is displayed.)
  

• DataSourceRef

     DATA_TYPE_MICROARRAY
     DATA_TYPE_2D_CELL_FILLS
     DATA_TYPE_CLASS_HISTOLOGY
     DATA_TYPE_GENE_EXP
     DATA_TYPE_2D_ROI
     DATA_TYPE_OTHER