java.lang.Object
- com.orchestranetworks.schema.Step

```
public abstract class Step
extends Object
```
A path is a sequence of steps.
A step instance is immutable.

See Also:

Path

Method Summary

All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`abstract String`	`format()`	Returns the string representation of this step.
`abstract int`	`getIndex()`	Returns `Step` index.
`abstract boolean`	`isIndexed()`	Returns `true` if this `Step` identifies a node child by its position.
`boolean`	`isRelative()`	Returns `true` if this instance is either self or parent step ('.' or '..').
`boolean`	`isRelativeParent()`	Returns `true` if this instance is the parent step ('..').
`boolean`	`isRelativeSelf()`	Returns `true` if this instance is the self step (`.`).
`static Step`	`parse (String aString)`	Returns the step corresponding to the `String` specified.
`Path`	`toAbsolutePath()`	Returns the absolute path whose unique step is this instance.
`Path`	`toParentPath()`	Returns the relative path whose first step is '..' (parent step) and the second step is this instance.
`Path`	`toSelfPath()`	Returns the relative path whose first step is '.' (self step) and the second step is this instance.
`Step`	`toStepWithoutIndex()`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

- Method Detail
  - parse
```
public static Step parse(String aString)
                  throws IllegalArgumentException
```
    Returns the step corresponding to the String specified.
    
    Throws:
    
    IllegalArgumentException - If step syntax is not correct.
    
    See Also:
    
    format()
  - format
```
public abstract String format()
```
    Returns the string representation of this step.
    
    See Also:
    
    Path.format()
  - isIndexed
```
public abstract boolean isIndexed()
```
    Returns true if this Step identifies a node child by its position. The first position is 0 (in XPath, the first position is 1). For example, in the path para/item[0]/label, item[0] is an indexed step identifying position 0.
    Regarding JavaBeans, an instance of this class corresponds to an indexed property.
    
    See Also:
    
    getIndex()
  - getIndex
```
public abstract int getIndex()
```
    Returns Step index.
    Index starts at 0.
    
    Throws:
    
    IllegalStateException - If Step is not indexed.
    
    See Also:
    
    toStepWithoutIndex(), isIndexed()
  - toStepWithoutIndex
```
public Step toStepWithoutIndex()
```
    Throws:
    
    IllegalStateException - If Step is not indexed.
    
    See Also:
    
    isIndexed()
  - toAbsolutePath
```
public Path toAbsolutePath()
```
    Returns the absolute path whose unique step is this instance.
  - toSelfPath
```
public Path toSelfPath()
```
    Returns the relative path whose first step is '.' (self step) and the second step is this instance.
  - toParentPath
```
public Path toParentPath()
```
    Returns the relative path whose first step is '..' (parent step) and the second step is this instance.
  - isRelative
```
public final boolean isRelative()
```
    Returns true if this instance is either self or parent step ('.' or '..').
  - isRelativeSelf
```
public final boolean isRelativeSelf()
```
    Returns true if this instance is the self step (.).
    
    See Also:
    
    Path.SELF
  - isRelativeParent
```
public final boolean isRelativeParent()
```
    Returns true if this instance is the parent step ('..').
    
    See Also:
    
    Path.PARENT

Class Step

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Method Detail

parse

format

isIndexed

getIndex

toStepWithoutIndex

toAbsolutePath

toSelfPath

toParentPath

isRelative

isRelativeSelf

isRelativeParent