Chain (Caliper Core 1.0-beta-3 API)

java.lang.Object
- com.google.caliper.memory.Chain

```
public abstract class Chain
extends Object
```
A chain of references, which starts at a root object and leads to a particular value (either an object or a primitive).

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`Chain`	`getParent()`	Returns the parent chain, from which this chain was created.
`Object`	`getRoot()`	Returns the root object of this chain.
`Object`	`getValue()`	Returns the value that this chain leads to.
`abstract Class<?>`	`getValueType()`
`boolean`	`hasParent()`	Returns whether this chain has a parent.
`boolean`	`isPrimitive()`	Returns whether the value of this chain represents a primitive.
`boolean`	`isThroughArrayIndex()`	Returns whether the connection of the parent chain and this chain is through an array index, i.e.
`boolean`	`isThroughField()`	Returns whether the connection of the parent chain and this chain is through a field (of the getParent().getValue().getClass() class).
`String`	`toString()`

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

- Method Detail
  - hasParent
```
public boolean hasParent()
```
    Returns whether this chain has a parent. This returns false only when this chain represents the root object itself.
  - getParent
```
@Nonnull
public Chain getParent()
```
    Returns the parent chain, from which this chain was created.
    
    Throws:
    
    IllegalStateException - if !hasParent(), then an
  - getValue
```
@Nullable
public Object getValue()
```
    Returns the value that this chain leads to. If the value is a primitive, a wrapper object is returned instead.
  - getValueType
```
@Nonnull
public abstract Class<?> getValueType()
```
  - isThroughField
```
public boolean isThroughField()
```
    Returns whether the connection of the parent chain and this chain is through a field (of the getParent().getValue().getClass() class).
  - isThroughArrayIndex
```
public boolean isThroughArrayIndex()
```
    Returns whether the connection of the parent chain and this chain is through an array index, i.e. the parent leads to an array, and this chain leads to an element of that array.
  - isPrimitive
```
public boolean isPrimitive()
```
    Returns whether the value of this chain represents a primitive.
  - getRoot
```
@Nonnull
public Object getRoot()
```
    Returns the root object of this chain.
  - toString
```
public final String toString()
```
    Overrides:
    
    toString in class Object