Bio::Tools::EUtilities::Summary::ItemContainerI(3pm)	User Contributed Perl Documentation   Bio::Tools::EUtilities::Summary::ItemContainerI(3pm)

NAME

       Bio::Tools::EUtilities::Summary::ItemContainerI - abtract interface methods for accessing Item information from any Item-containing class.
       This pertains to either DocSums or to Items themselves (which can be layered)

SYNOPSIS

	 # Implement ItemContainerI

	 # $foo is any ItemContainerI (current implementations are DocSum and Item itself)

	 while (my $item = $foo->next_Item) { # iterate through contained Items
	    # do stuff here
	 }

	 @items = $foo->get_Items;  # all Items in the container (hierarchy intact)
	 @items = $foo->get_all_Items;	# all Items in the container (flattened)
	 @items = $foo->get_Items_by_name('bar'); # Specifically named Items
	 ($content) = $foo->get_contents_by_name('bar'); # content from specific Items
	 ($type) = $foo->get_type_by_name('bar'); # data type from specific Items

DESCRIPTION

       DocSum data, as returned from esummary, normally is a simple list of item-content-content_type groups. However, items can also contain
       nested data to represent more complex data (such as structural data). This interface describes the basic methods to generically retrieve
       the next layer of Item data. For convenience classes may describe more specific methods, but they should be defined in terms of this
       interface and it's methods.

FEEDBACK

   Mailing Lists
       User feedback is an integral part of the evolution of this and other Bioperl modules. Send your comments and suggestions preferably to one
       of the Bioperl mailing lists. Your participation is much appreciated.

	 bioperl-l@lists.open-bio.org		    - General discussion
	 http://www.bioperl.org/wiki/Mailing_lists  - About the mailing lists

   Support
       Please direct usage questions or support issues to the mailing list:

       bioperl-l@bioperl.org

       rather than to the module maintainer directly. Many experienced and reponsive experts will be able look at the problem and quickly address
       it. Please include a thorough description of the problem with code and data examples if at all possible.

   Reporting Bugs
       Report bugs to the Bioperl bug tracking system to help us keep track the bugs and their resolution.  Bug reports can be submitted via the
       web.

	 https://redmine.open-bio.org/projects/bioperl/

AUTHOR Chris Fields
       Email cjfields at bioperl dot org

APPENDIX

       The rest of the documentation details each of the object methods. Internal methods are usually preceded with a _

   next_Item
	Title	 : next_Item
	Usage	 : while (my $item = $docsum->next_Item) {...}
	Function : iterates through Items (nested layer of Item)
	Returns  : single Item
	Args	 : [optional] single arg (string)
		   'flatten' - iterates through a flattened list ala
				 get_all_DocSum_Items()

   get_Items
	Title	 : get_Items
	Usage	 : my @items = $docsum->get_Items
	Function : returns list of, well, Items
	Returns  : array of Items
	Args	 : none

   get_all_Items
	Title	 : get_all_Items
	Usage	 : my @items = $docsum->get_all_Items
	Function : returns flattened list of all Item objects (Items, ListItems,
		   StructureItems)
	Returns  : array of Items
	Args	 : none
	Note	 : items are added top-down (similar order to using nested calls)
		   in original list order.

		    1	      2        7	8
		  Item	-   Item  -  Item  -  Item ...
			    |
			   | 3	      6
			ListItem - ListItem
			  |
			 | 4	      5
		      Structure - Structure

   get_all_names
	Title	 : get_all_names
	Usage	 : my @names = get_all_names()
	Function : Returns an array of names for all Item(s) in DocSum.
	Returns  : array of unique strings
	Args	 : none

   get_Items_by_name
	Title	 : get_Items_by_name
	Usage	 : my @items = get_Items_by_name('CreateDate')
	Function : Returns named Item(s) in DocSum (indicated by passed argument)
	Returns  : array of Item objects
	Args	 : string (Item name)

   get_contents_by_name
	Title	 : get_contents_by_name
	Usage	 : my ($data) = $eutil->get_contents_by_name('CreateDate')
	Function : Returns content for named Item(s) in DocSum (indicated by
		   passed argument)
	Returns  : array of values (type varies per Item)
	Args	 : string (Item name)

   get_type_by_name
	Title	 : get_type_by_name
	Usage	 : my $data = get_type_by_name('CreateDate')
	Function : Returns data type for named Item in DocSum (indicated by
		   passed argument)
	Returns  : scalar value (string) if present
	Args	 : string (Item name)

perl v5.14.2							    2012-03-02		      Bio::Tools::EUtilities::Summary::ItemContainerI(3pm)