Object Class: _getAttribute

Object Class: _getAttribute

Returns metadata for a specific attribute on a class or object

Syntax
Details

Syntax

return = objectName._getAttribute( attributeName, metadataList );

return = objectName._getAttribute( attributeName, metadataList, instances );

Argument Type Use Description

return Numeric Return returns a value indicating whether the attribute was successfully retrieved: 0 if successful, 1 if not successful

attributeName Character Input specifies the name of the attribute to retrieve

metadataList List Update specifies the id of a list that will contain the attribute metadata

instances Character Input specifies whether to return the attribute defined on the class instead of the parent class (for class instances). Specifies whether the metadata list contains VALUE= as named item on the list (for objects). Default is 'Yes'

Argument	Type	Use	Description
return	Numeric	Return	returns a value indicating whether the attribute was successfully retrieved: 0 if successful, 1 if not successful
attributeName	Character	Input	specifies the name of the attribute to retrieve
metadataList	List	Update	specifies the id of a list that will contain the attribute metadata
instances	Character	Input	specifies whether to return the attribute defined on the class instead of the parent class (for class instances). Specifies whether the metadata list contains VALUE= as named item on the list (for objects). Default is 'Yes'

Details

If you use the _getAttribute method on an instance, only the metadata for PUBLIC attributes are returned. The metaDataList is returned empty if you ask for a PRIVATE or PROTECTED attribute.

If you execute _getAttribute on a class, you can access metadata for all attributes except for the PRIVATE attributes of the parent.

For attributes of type object and list, the VALUE item is returned as a numeric item that contains the object identifier or list identifier. For attributes of any array type, a VALUE item is not returned.

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