Constraint (   The Meta-CSP FrameworkA Java API for Meta-CSP based reasoning)

java.lang.Object
- org.metacsp.framework.Constraint

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable, java.lang.Cloneable

Direct Known Subclasses:

BinaryConstraint, BooleanConstraint, DummyConstraint, FocusConstraint, MetaConstraint, MultiConstraint
```
public abstract class Constraint
extends java.lang.Object
implements java.lang.Cloneable, java.io.Serializable
```
This class is used to represent n-ary constraints in the MetaCSP framework. The scope of a constraint is the set of all Variables involved in the constraint. An important subclass is BinaryConstraint, which provides support for constraints whose scope has size two.

Author:

Federico Pecora

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type	Field and Description
`protected java.lang.Object`	`annotation`
`protected boolean`	`autoRemovable`
`protected java.awt.Paint`	`color`
`protected int`	`id`
`protected java.util.logging.Logger`	`logger`
`protected boolean`	`masked`
`static int`	`numIDs` Progressive ID of a constraint
`protected Variable[]`	`scope`

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor and Description

Constraint()

Constructors
Constructor and Description
`Constraint()`

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method and Description
`abstract java.lang.Object`	`clone()`
`java.lang.Object`	`getAnnotation()` Get this `Constraint`'s annotation (can be any `Object` and used in any way).
`java.awt.Paint`	`getColor()`
`java.lang.String`	`getDescription()` Get the description of this `Constraint`'s type.
`abstract java.lang.String`	`getEdgeLabel()` Every `Constraint` should implement this method - its value is what is drawn by the `ConstraintNetwork` rendering methods.
`int`	`getID()` Returns the ID of this `Constraint`.
`Variable[]`	`getScope()` Returns the scope of this `Constraint`.
`boolean`	`isAutoRemovable()`
`abstract boolean`	`isEquivalent(Constraint c)` Method for assessing the "equivalence" between two constraints.
`boolean`	`isMasked()` Returns `true` iff this `Constraint` is invisible to the solver (masked).
`boolean`	`isSkippableSolver(ConstraintSolver cs)` Assess whether a given solver is allowed to process this constraint.
`boolean`	`isUnary()` Returns `true` iff this `Constraint`'s scope only refers to one `Variable`.
`void`	`mask()` Makes this `Constraint` invisible to the solver (masked).
`void`	`setAnnotation(java.lang.Object o)` Set this `Constraint`'s annotation (can be any `Object` and used in any way).
`void`	`setAutoRemovable(boolean autoRemovable)`
`void`	`setColor(java.awt.Paint color)`
`void`	`setScope(Variable[] scope)` Set the scope of this `Constraint` to a given array of `Variable`s.
`void`	`skipSolver(ConstraintSolver... solvers)` Provide a list of solvers that should not process this constraint.
`abstract java.lang.String`	`toString()` Every `Constraint` should implement a toString method (used by the `ConstraintNetwork` rendering methods).
`void`	`unmask()` Makes this `Constraint` invisible to the solver (masked).

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

- Field Detail
  - numIDs
```
public static int numIDs
```
    Progressive ID of a constraint
  - masked
```
protected boolean masked
```
  - id
```
protected int id
```
  - scope
```
protected Variable[] scope
```
  - annotation
```
protected java.lang.Object annotation
```
  - autoRemovable
```
protected boolean autoRemovable
```
  - color
```
protected java.awt.Paint color
```
  - logger
```
protected transient java.util.logging.Logger logger
```
- Constructor Detail
  - Constraint
```
public Constraint()
```
- Method Detail
  - skipSolver
```
public void skipSolver(ConstraintSolver... solvers)
```
    Provide a list of solvers that should not process this constraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    solvers - Solvers that should not process this constraint.
  - isMasked
```
public boolean isMasked()
```
    Returns true iff this Constraint is invisible to the solver (masked).
    
    Returns:
    
    true iff this Constraint is invisible to the solver (masked).
  - mask
```
public void mask()
```
    Makes this Constraint invisible to the solver (masked).
  - unmask
```
public void unmask()
```
    Makes this Constraint invisible to the solver (masked).
  - isUnary
```
public boolean isUnary()
```
    Returns true iff this Constraint's scope only refers to one Variable.
    
    Returns:
    
    true iff this Constraint's scope only refers to one Variable.
  - isSkippableSolver
```
public boolean isSkippableSolver(ConstraintSolver cs)
```
    Assess whether a given solver is allowed to process this constraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    cs - The ConstraintSolver to check.
    
    Returns:
    
    true iff the given solver will process this constraint.
  - getAnnotation
```
public java.lang.Object getAnnotation()
```
    Get this Constraint's annotation (can be any Object and used in any way).
    
    Returns:
    
    This Constraint's annotation.
  - setAnnotation
```
public void setAnnotation(java.lang.Object o)
```
    Set this Constraint's annotation (can be any Object and used in any way).
    
    Parameters:
    
    o - This Constraint's annotation.
  - getID
```
public int getID()
```
    Returns the ID of this Constraint.
    
    Returns:
    
    The ID of this Constraint.
  - toString
```
public abstract java.lang.String toString()
```
    Every Constraint should implement a toString method (used by the ConstraintNetwork rendering methods).
    
    Overrides:
    
    toString in class java.lang.Object
    
    Returns:
    
    the String representation of this Constraint.
  - getEdgeLabel
```
public abstract java.lang.String getEdgeLabel()
```
    Every Constraint should implement this method - its value is what is drawn by the ConstraintNetwork rendering methods.
    
    Returns:
    
    a String representation of the constraint to be used for ConstraintNetwork rendering.
  - getScope
```
public Variable[] getScope()
```
    Returns the scope of this Constraint.
    
    Returns:
    
    the scope of this Constraint (an array of size 2 if this is a BinaryConstraint).
  - setScope
```
public void setScope(Variable[] scope)
```
    Set the scope of this Constraint to a given array of Variables.
    
    Parameters:
    
    scope - The desired new scope of this Constraint.
  - clone
```
public abstract java.lang.Object clone()
```
    Overrides:
    
    clone in class java.lang.Object
  - isEquivalent
```
public abstract boolean isEquivalent(Constraint c)
```
    Method for assessing the "equivalence" between two constraints. This is not used for lookups nor comparisons (hence, it is not the equals method).
    
    Parameters:
    
    c - The Constraint to compare against.
    
    Returns:
    
    true iff the two constraints are considered to be equivalent.
  - getDescription
```
public java.lang.String getDescription()
```
    Get the description of this Constraint's type.
    
    Returns:
    
    The description of this Constraint's type.
  - isAutoRemovable
```
public boolean isAutoRemovable()
```
  - setAutoRemovable
```
public void setAutoRemovable(boolean autoRemovable)
```
  - getColor
```
public java.awt.Paint getColor()
```
  - setColor
```
public void setColor(java.awt.Paint color)
```

Class Constraint

Field Summary

Constructor Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Field Detail

numIDs

masked

id

scope

annotation

autoRemovable

color

logger

Constructor Detail

Constraint

Method Detail

skipSolver

isMasked

mask

unmask

isUnary

isSkippableSolver

getAnnotation

setAnnotation

getID

toString

getEdgeLabel

getScope

setScope

clone

isEquivalent

getDescription

isAutoRemovable

setAutoRemovable

getColor

setColor