Package: org.codehaus.groovy.ast

## [Java] Class ASTNode

- org.codehaus.groovy.ast.ASTNode

- Base class for any AST node. This class supports basic information used in all nodes of the AST:

  - line and column number information. Usually a node represents a certain area in a text file determined by a starting position and an ending position. For nodes that do not represent this, this information will be -1. A node can also be configured in its line/col information using another node through setSourcePosition(otherNode).
  - every node can store meta data. A phase operation or transform can use this to transport arbitrary information to another phase operation or transform. The only requirement is that the other phase operation or transform runs after the part storing the information. If the information transport is done it is strongly recommended to remove that meta data.
  - a text representation of this node trough getText(). This was in the past used for assertion messages. Since the usage of power asserts this method will not be called for this purpose anymore and might be removed in future versions of Groovy
  Authors:
    James Strachan
    Jochen "blackdrag" Theodorou

- - ### Methods Summary

    Methods
    Type | Name and description
    --- | ---
    `void` | `copyNodeMetaData(ASTNode other)` Copies all node meta data from the other node to this one
    `int` | `getColumnNumber()`
    `int` | `getLastColumnNumber()`
    `int` | `getLastLineNumber()`
    `int` | `getLineNumber()`
    `T` | `getNodeMetaData(Object key)` Gets the node meta data.
    `String` | `getText()`
    `Object` | `putNodeMetaData(Object key, Object value)` Sets the node meta data but allows overwriting values.
    `void` | `removeNodeMetaData(Object key)` Removes a node meta data entry.
    `void` | `setColumnNumber(int columnNumber)`
    `void` | `setLastColumnNumber(int lastColumnNumber)`
    `void` | `setLastLineNumber(int lastLineNumber)`
    `void` | `setLineNumber(int lineNumber)`
    `void` | `setNodeMetaData(Object key, Object value)` Sets the node meta data.
    `void` | `setSourcePosition(ASTNode node)` Sets the source position using another ASTNode.
    `void` | `visit(GroovyCodeVisitor visitor)`

  - ### Inherited Methods Summary

    Inherited Methods
    Methods inherited from class | Name
    --- | ---
    `class Object` | `wait, wait, wait, equals, toString, hashCode, getClass, notify, notifyAll`

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### public void copyNodeMetaData(ASTNode other)

      Copies all node meta data from the other node to this one

      Parameters:
        `other` - - the other node

    - #### public int getColumnNumber()

    - #### public int getLastColumnNumber()

    - #### public int getLastLineNumber()

    - #### public int getLineNumber()

    - #### public T getNodeMetaData(Object key)

      Gets the node meta data.

      Parameters:
        `key` - - the meta data key
      Returns:
        the node meta data value for this key

    - #### public String getText()

    - #### public Object putNodeMetaData(Object key, Object value)

      Sets the node meta data but allows overwriting values.

      throws:
        GroovyBugError if key is null
      Parameters:
        `key` - - the meta data key
        `value` - - the meta data value
      Returns:
        the old node meta data value for this key

    - #### public void removeNodeMetaData(Object key)

      Removes a node meta data entry.

      throws:
        GroovyBugError if the key is null
      Parameters:
        `key` - - the meta data key

    - #### public void setColumnNumber(int columnNumber)

    - #### public void setLastColumnNumber(int lastColumnNumber)

    - #### public void setLastLineNumber(int lastLineNumber)

    - #### public void setLineNumber(int lineNumber)

    - #### public void setNodeMetaData(Object key, Object value)

      Sets the node meta data.

      throws:
        GroovyBugError if key is null or there is already meta data under that key
      Parameters:
        `key` - - the meta data key
        `value` - - the meta data value

    - #### public void setSourcePosition(ASTNode node)

      Sets the source position using another ASTNode. The sourcePosition consists of a line/column pair for the start and a line/column pair for the end of the expression or statement

      Parameters:
        `node` - - the node used to configure the position information

    - #### public void visit(GroovyCodeVisitor visitor)