<collect>

<collect> is a General Operator component that gathers discrete component data from a graph or sectional component and stores it in an array.

Attributes and Properties

Example: Collect <point> children from a <graph>

The <collect/> component is used to gather <point> children from a named <graph>.

Example: Collect <textInput> children from a <repeat>

The <collect/> component is used to gather <textInput> components generated by a <repeat>.

Example: Collect user-added <point> children to draw a <polygon>

The <collect/> component is used to gather <point> components generated by two <callAction> components within a <graph>. The named <collect/> is then referenced in the vertices attribute of a <polygon>.

Example: <collect> function data

The <collect> can be used for function components as well as graphical components and that the set of data collected need not be contained in a graph. Any sectional component or module can be used with the from attribute inside the <collect> component.

Example: Collecting a property of a component

To access an individual property of a group of collected components, refer to the name of the <collect> followed by the property name, such as radius in this example.

In order to access a specific component’s property, use the index of the component in square brackets, such as $collectRadii[2].radius.

Attribute Example: from

<graph name="g" size="small">
  <callAction 
    actionName="addChildren" 
    target="$g" 
    anchor="(-6,-8)">
      <point>(0,0)</point>
      <label>Add point</label>
  </callAction>
</graph>
<collect componentType="point" from="$g"/>

The from attribute specifies which named component the <collect> is gathering information from.

Attribute Example: componentType

<p>repeated mathInputs:</p>
 
<repeatForSequence name="blanksRepeat" from="1" to="3">
  <mathInput/>
</repeatForSequence>
 
<p>The collected mathInputs are:</p>
<collect 
  name="collectMathInputs"
  componentType="mathInput" 
  from="$blanksRepeat"/>
 
<p>The third <tage>mathInput</tage> is:</p>
  $collectMathInputs[3]

The componentType attribute specifies the type of component that is being collected from the reference listed in from.

Attribute Example: maxNumber

The maxNumber attribute sets a limit on the number of components to collect.