# NamespaceMap
Date: 2013-02-18

## org.simpleframework.xml.stream
Interface NamespaceMap

All Superinterfaces:
  java.lang.Iterable<java.lang.String>

    public interface NamespaceMap

extends java.lang.Iterable<java.lang.String>

The `NamespaceMap` object is used store the namespaces for an element. Each namespace added to this map can be added with a prefix. A prefix is added only if the associated reference has not been added to a parent element. If a parent element has the associated reference, then the parents prefix is the one that will be returned when requested from this map.

Author:
  Niall Gallagher

Method Summary
`java.lang.String` `getPrefix()` This is the prefix that is associated with the source element.
`java.lang.String` `getPrefix(java.lang.String reference)` This acquires the prefix for the specified namespace reference.
`java.lang.String` `getReference(java.lang.String prefix)` This acquires the namespace reference for the specified prefix.
`java.util.Iterator<java.lang.String>` `iterator()` This returns an iterator for the namespace of all the nodes in this `NamespaceMap`.
`java.lang.String` `setReference(java.lang.String reference)` This is used to add the namespace reference to the namespace map.
`java.lang.String` `setReference(java.lang.String reference, java.lang.String prefix)` This is used to add the namespace reference to the namespace map.

Method Detail

### getPrefix

    java.lang.String getPrefix()

  This is the prefix that is associated with the source element. If the source element does not contain a namespace reference then this will return its parents namespace. This ensures that if a namespace has been declared its child elements will inherit its prefix.

  Returns:
    this returns the prefix that is currently in scope

### getPrefix

    java.lang.String getPrefix(java.lang.String reference)

  This acquires the prefix for the specified namespace reference. If the namespace reference has been set on this node with a given prefix then that prefix is returned, however if it has not been set this will search the parent elements to find the prefix that is in scope for the specified reference.

  Parameters:
    `reference` - the reference to find a matching prefix for
  Returns:
    this will return the prefix that is is scope

### getReference

    java.lang.String getReference(java.lang.String prefix)

  This acquires the namespace reference for the specified prefix. If the provided prefix has been set on this node with a given reference then that reference is returned, however if it has not been set this will search the parent elements to find the reference that is in scope for the specified reference.

  Parameters:
    `prefix` - the prefix to find a matching reference for
  Returns:
    this will return the reference that is is scope

### iterator

    java.util.Iterator<java.lang.String> iterator()

  This returns an iterator for the namespace of all the nodes in this `NamespaceMap`. This allows the namespaces to be iterated within a for each loop in order to extract the prefix values associated with the map.

  Specified by:
    `iterator` in interface `java.lang.Iterable<java.lang.String>`
  Returns:
    this returns the namespaces contained in this map

### setReference

    java.lang.String setReference(java.lang.String reference)

  This is used to add the namespace reference to the namespace map. If the namespace has been added to a parent node then this will not add the reference. The prefix added to the map will be the default namespace, which is an empty prefix.

  Parameters:
    `reference` - this is the reference to be added
  Returns:
    this returns the prefix that has been replaced

### setReference

    java.lang.String setReference(java.lang.String reference,
                                  java.lang.String prefix)

  This is used to add the namespace reference to the namespace map. If the namespace has been added to a parent node then this will not add the reference.

  Parameters:
    `reference` - this is the reference to be added
    `prefix` - this is the prefix to be added to the reference
  Returns:
    this returns the prefix that has been replaced