Single-Element Functions
This section documents the single-element extraction functions. For each function, the following information is provided:
●The two characters xx in the function names denote element type abbreviations. See Element Type Abbreviations for the list of element abbreviations.
Single-element functions provide information about discrete Statemate elements in the database.
Using single-element functions, you can retrieve any information attached to a particular element. This information is usually entered into the database via forms. Data extraction is a multi-stage procedure. Generally, when working with a Statemate element, you know the element’s name (path name). You might want to know more about such an element, such as the element’s synonym or what attributes are defined in the element’s form. Such information can be retrieved using the single-element functions.
The retrieval process is as follows:
2. Specify theID
and the information requested. Receive the extracted informationThe element ID is an internal representation that Statemate uses to identify each element. You do not see the ID; you extract it from the database using one function and pass it along to another function that processes your information request.
The vertical ellipses in the diagram indicate that multiple functions can be called in succession for the same element. For example, you can call a function to return an element’s synonym, then immediately call a different function to return the contents of the same element’s description field.