Definitions

Collection

An object which holds onto a number of other objects

Fixed

Unable to change in state. A FixedCollection is one that cannot grow in size or replace any of its elements. A client can only answer questions to the collection. In certain contexts the Fixed is not as restrictive.

Extensible

Able to add and remove objects

Updateable

Able to replace objects currently in the collection

Keyed

Having a key (Object) that can return a value

Indexed

Having a sequential index number (zero based) that can return a value

Zero-based

Having an index value of ‘0’ return the first value in an indexed collection. This is one of the many horrible Java concepts that came from ‘C’ (for which it makes sense) and should be instantly obliterated. But barring that, all the collection classes are Zero based for consistency with (most of) the rest of Java.

Array

Indexed Collection (Non Extensible)

Bag

An unordered collection for which an object can be added more than once and the collection will remember each occurance.

KeyedArray

Indexed and Keyed Collection (Non Extensible)

Map

Extensible Keyed Collection. Can replace, add, or remove keyed entries

Sequence

Extensible Indexed Collection. A collection where entries can be added to the end or beginning and all members can be retrieved by index (zero based)

Set

An unordered collection for which an object can only be added once. Subsequent additions of the same object are ignored.

KeyedCollection

Can replace keyed entries but not add any new ones or remove old ones

FixedKeyedCollection

Can be inquired as to the value of a key

Functor

"An object that models an operation" [Firesmith+E 95]. In the framework’s case a basic functor is a type with a single method that performs an operation.

Procedure

A functor that does not return a value

Function

A functor that returns an Object

Predicate

A functor that returns a boolean

Getter

A role of a Function1Arg when it is designed to retrieve a value from an object (the first parameter)

Setter

A role of a Procedure2Arg when it stores a value (the second parameter) into an object (the first parameter)