org.researchstack.backbone.step

Class Step

java.lang.Object

org.researchstack.backbone.step.Step

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable

Direct Known Subclasses:

ConsentDocumentStep, ConsentSignatureStep, ConsentVisualStep, InstructionStep, QuestionStep

public class Step
extends java.lang.Object
implements java.io.Serializable

Step is the base class for the steps that can compose a task for presentation in an ViewTaskActivity object. Each Step object represents one logical piece of data entry or activity in a larger task.

A step can be a question, an active test, or a simple instruction. An Step subclass is usually paired with an StepLayout subclass that displays the step.

To use a step, instantiate an Step object and populate its properties. Add the step to a task, such as an OrderedTask object, and then present the task using a ViewTaskActivity.

To implement a new type of step, subclass Step and add your additional properties. Separately, subclass StepLayout and implement your user interface.

See Also:

Serialized Form

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
Step(java.lang.String identifier) Returns a new step initialized with the specified identifier.
Step(java.lang.String identifier, java.lang.String title) Returns a new step initialized with the specified identifier and title.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
java.lang.String	getIdentifier() A short string that uniquely identifies the step within the task.
java.lang.Class	getStepLayoutClass() Returns the class that the ViewTaskActivity should instantiate to display this step.
int	getStepTitle() Gets the int id for the title to display in the action bar (optional).
java.lang.String	getText() Additional text to display for the step in a localized string.
java.lang.String	getTitle() The primary text to display for the step in a localized string.
boolean	isOptional() A boolean value indicating whether the user can skip the step without providing an answer.
void	setOptional(boolean optional) Sets whether the step is skippable
void	setStepLayoutClass(java.lang.Class stepLayoutClass) Sets the class that should be used to display this step
void	setStepTitle(int stepTitle) Gets the int id for the title to display in the action bar (optional).
void	setText(java.lang.String text) Sets the additional text for the step.
void	setTitle(java.lang.String title) Sets the primary text to display for the step in a localized string.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

Step

public Step(java.lang.String identifier)

Returns a new step initialized with the specified identifier.

Parameters:

identifier - The unique identifier of the step.

Step

public Step(java.lang.String identifier,
            java.lang.String title)

Returns a new step initialized with the specified identifier and title.

Parameters:

identifier - The unique identifier of the step.

title - The primary text to display for this step.

Method Detail

getIdentifier

public java.lang.String getIdentifier()

A short string that uniquely identifies the step within the task.

The identifier is reproduced in the results of a step. In fact, the only way to link a result (a StepResult object) to the step that generated it is to look at the value of identifier. To accurately identify step results, you need to ensure that step identifiers are unique within each task.

In some cases, it can be useful to link the step identifier to a unique identifier in a database; in other cases, it can make sense to make the identifier human readable.

isOptional

public boolean isOptional()

A boolean value indicating whether the user can skip the step without providing an answer.

The default value of this property is true. When the value is false, the Skip button does not appear on this step.

This property may not be meaningful for all steps; for example, an active step might not provide a way to skip, because it requires a timer to finish.

Returns:

a boolean indicating whether the step is skippable

setOptional

public void setOptional(boolean optional)

Sets whether the step is skippable

Parameters:

optional -

See Also:

isOptional()

getTitle

public java.lang.String getTitle()

The primary text to display for the step in a localized string.

This text is also used as the label when a step is shown in the more compact version in a FormStep.

Returns:

the primary text for the question

setTitle

public void setTitle(java.lang.String title)

Sets the primary text to display for the step in a localized string.

Parameters:

title - the primary text for the question.

See Also:

getTitle()

getText

public java.lang.String getText()

Additional text to display for the step in a localized string.

The additional text is displayed in a smaller font below title. If you need to display a long question, it can work well to keep the title short and put the additional content in the text property.

Returns:

setText

public void setText(java.lang.String text)

Sets the additional text for the step.

Parameters:

text - the detail text for the step

See Also:

getText()

getStepTitle

public int getStepTitle()

Gets the int id for the title to display in the action bar (optional).

Returns:

the id for the title to display in the action bar

setStepTitle

public void setStepTitle(int stepTitle)

Gets the int id for the title to display in the action bar (optional).

Parameters:

stepTitle - the Android resource id for the title

getStepLayoutClass

public java.lang.Class getStepLayoutClass()

Returns the class that the ViewTaskActivity should instantiate to display this step.

This method is used within the framework so that steps can define their step view controller pairing.

Outside the framework, developers should instantiate the required view controller in their ViewTaskActivity delegate to override the ViewTaskActivity's default.

Returns:

the class of the StepLayout for this step

setStepLayoutClass

public void setStepLayoutClass(java.lang.Class stepLayoutClass)

Sets the class that should be used to display this step

Parameters:

stepLayoutClass - the StepLayout class to be used to display this step