Interface ElementTraversal

public interface ElementTraversal

The ElementTraversal interface is a set of read-only attributes which allow an author to easily navigate between elements in a document.

In conforming implementations of Element Traversal, all objects that implement Element must also implement the ElementTraversal interface. Four of the methods, getFirstElementChild(), getLastElementChild(), getPreviousElementSibling(), and getNextElementSibling(), each provides a live reference to another element with the defined relationship to the current element, if the related element exists. The fifth method, getChildElementCount(), exposes the number of child elements of an element, for preprocessing before navigation.

Since:: 9
See Also:: Element Traversal Specification

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`int`	`getChildElementCount()`	Returns the current number of child nodes of the element which are of the `Element` type.
`Element`	`getFirstElementChild()`	Returns a reference to the first child node of the element which is of the `Element` type.
`Element`	`getLastElementChild()`	Returns a reference to the last child node of the element which is of the `Element` type.
`Element`	`getNextElementSibling()`	Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately follows the element in document order, and which is of the `Element` type.
`Element`	`getPreviousElementSibling()`	Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately precedes the element in document order, and which is of the `Element` type.

Method Detail

getFirstElementChild

Element getFirstElementChild()

Returns a reference to the first child node of the element which is of the Element type.

Returns:: a reference to an element child, null if the element has no child of the Element type.

getLastElementChild

Element getLastElementChild()

Returns a reference to the last child node of the element which is of the Element type.

Returns:: a reference to an element child, null if the element has no child of the Element type.

getPreviousElementSibling

Element getPreviousElementSibling()

Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately precedes the element in document order, and which is of the Element type.

Returns:: a reference to an element child, null if the element has no sibling node of the Element type that comes before this one.

getNextElementSibling

Element getNextElementSibling()

Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately follows the element in document order, and which is of the Element type.

Returns:: a reference to an element child, null if the element has no sibling node of the Element type that comes after this one.

getChildElementCount

int getChildElementCount()

Returns the current number of child nodes of the element which are of the Element type.

Returns:: the number of element children, or 0 if the element has no element children.