## net.sf.saxon.expr
Class LazyExpression

    java.lang.Object
      net.sf.saxon.expr.Expression
          net.sf.saxon.expr.UnaryExpression
              net.sf.saxon.expr.LazyExpression

All Implemented Interfaces:
  Serializable, SourceLocator, LocationProvider, SaxonLocator, EvaluableItem, SequenceIterable, InstructionInfo, Locator

    public class LazyExpression

extends UnaryExpression

A LazyExpression is an expression that forces lazy evaluation: it must not be evaluated eagerly, because a failure must not be reported unless the value is actually referenced. This is used for an expression that has been moved out of a loop. If the loop iterates zero times, the expression will not be evaluated, and in particular, it will not cause a dynamic error.

Note that the LazyExpression class does not itself implement any kind of delayed evaluation: calling its evaluateItem() and iterate() methods produces an immediate result. Instead, the existence of a LazyExpression on the expression tree acts as a signal to other classes that evaluation should be delayed, typically by holding the result of the iterate() method in a Closure object.

See Also:
  Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.UnaryExpression
`operand`

Fields inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.Expression
`EVALUATE_METHOD, EVENT_FEED_METHOD, ITEM_FEED_METHOD, ITERATE_METHOD, locationId, PROCESS_METHOD, PUSH_SELECTION, staticProperties, WATCH_METHOD`

Constructor Summary
`LazyExpression(Expression operand)` Create a LazyExpression

Method Summary
`Expression` `copy()` Copy an expression.
`Item` `evaluateItem(XPathContext context)` Evaluate an expression as a single item.
`String` `getExpressionName()` Get a name identifying the kind of expression, in terms meaningful to a user.
`SequenceIterator` `iterate(XPathContext context)` Return an Iterator to iterate over the values of a sequence.
`static Expression` `makeLazyExpression(Expression operand)` Create a LazyExpression (factory method)
`Expression` `optimize(ExpressionVisitor visitor, ItemType contextItemType)` Perform optimisation of an expression and its subexpressions.
`void` `process(XPathContext context)` Process the instruction, without returning any tail calls
`Expression` `typeCheck(ExpressionVisitor visitor, ItemType contextItemType)` The typeCheck method suppresses compile-time evaluation

Methods inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.UnaryExpression
`computeCardinality, computeSpecialProperties, displayOperator, equals, explain, getBaseExpression, getItemType, hashCode, iterateSubExpressions, promote, replaceSubExpression, simplify, toString`

Methods inherited from class net.sf.saxon.expr.Expression

`addToPathMap, adoptChildExpression, checkForUpdatingSubexpressions, checkPermittedContents, computeDependencies, computeStaticProperties, doPromotion, dynamicError, effectiveBooleanValue, evaluateAsString, evaluatePendingUpdates, explain, getCardinality, getColumnNumber, getColumnNumber, getConstructType, getContainer, getDependencies, getEvaluationMethod, getExecutable, getHostLanguage, getImplementationMethod, getIntrinsicDependencies, getLineNumber, getLineNumber, getLocationId, getLocationProvider, getObjectName, getProperties, getProperty, getPublicId, getSlotsUsed, getSpecialProperties, getSystemId, getSystemId, hasLoopingSubexpression, implementsStaticTypeCheck, isSubtreeExpression, isUpdatingExpression, isVacuousExpression, iterateEvents, iterateSameFocusSubExpressions, markTailFunctionCalls, resetLocalStaticProperties, setContainer, setEvaluationMethod, setFiltered, setFlattened, setLocationId, staticTypeCheck, suppressValidation, typeError`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

Constructor Detail

### LazyExpression

    public LazyExpression(Expression operand)

  Create a LazyExpression

  Parameters:
    `operand` - the expression to be evaluated lazily

Method Detail

### makeLazyExpression

    public static Expression makeLazyExpression(Expression operand)

  Create a LazyExpression (factory method)

  Parameters:
    `operand` - the expression to be evaluated lazily
  Returns:
    the LazyExpression

### typeCheck

    public Expression typeCheck(ExpressionVisitor visitor,
                                ItemType contextItemType)
                         throws XPathException

  The typeCheck method suppresses compile-time evaluation

  Overrides:
    `typeCheck` in class `UnaryExpression`
  Parameters:
    `visitor` - an expression visitor
    `contextItemType` - the static type of the context item
  Returns:
    the expression after typechecking
  Throws:
    `XPathException`

### optimize

    public Expression optimize(ExpressionVisitor visitor,
                               ItemType contextItemType)
                        throws XPathException

  Perform optimisation of an expression and its subexpressions. This method suppresses compile-time evaluation

  Overrides:
    `optimize` in class `UnaryExpression`
  Parameters:
    `visitor` - an expression visitor
    `contextItemType` - the static type of "." at the point where this expression is invoked. The parameter is set to null if it is known statically that the context item will be undefined. If the type of the context item is not known statically, the argument is set to `Type.ITEM_TYPE`
  Returns:
    the original expression, rewritten if appropriate to optimize execution
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if an error is discovered during this phase (typically a type error)

### evaluateItem

    public Item evaluateItem(XPathContext context)
                      throws XPathException

  Evaluate an expression as a single item. This always returns either a single Item or null (denoting the empty sequence). No conversion is done. This method should not be used unless the static type of the expression is a subtype of "item" or "item?": that is, it should not be called if the expression may return a sequence. There is no guarantee that this condition will be detected.

  Specified by:
    `evaluateItem` in interface `EvaluableItem`
  Overrides:
    `evaluateItem` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `context` - The context in which the expression is to be evaluated
  Returns:
    the node or atomic value that results from evaluating the expression; or null to indicate that the result is an empty sequence
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if any dynamic error occurs evaluating the expression

### iterate

    public SequenceIterator iterate(XPathContext context)
                             throws XPathException

  Return an Iterator to iterate over the values of a sequence. The value of every expression can be regarded as a sequence, so this method is supported for all expressions. This default implementation handles iteration for expressions that return singleton values: for non-singleton expressions, the subclass must provide its own implementation.

  Specified by:
    `iterate` in interface `SequenceIterable`
  Overrides:
    `iterate` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `context` - supplies the context for evaluation
  Returns:
    a SequenceIterator that can be used to iterate over the result of the expression
  Throws:
    `XPathException` - if any dynamic error occurs evaluating the expression

### process

    public void process(XPathContext context)
                 throws XPathException

  Process the instruction, without returning any tail calls

  Overrides:
    `process` in class `Expression`
  Parameters:
    `context` - The dynamic context, giving access to the current node, the current variables, etc.
  Throws:
    `XPathException`

### copy

    public Expression copy()

  Copy an expression. This makes a deep copy.

  Specified by:
    `copy` in class `Expression`
  Returns:
    the copy of the original expression

### getExpressionName

    public String getExpressionName()

  Description copied from class: `Expression`
  Get a name identifying the kind of expression, in terms meaningful to a user.

  Overrides:
    `getExpressionName` in class `Expression`
  Returns:
    a name identifying the kind of expression, in terms meaningful to a user. The name will always be in the form of a lexical XML QName, and should match the name used in explain() output displaying the expression.

Copyright (c) 2004-2010 Saxonica Limited. All rights reserved.