StartTag (Jericho HTML Parser 3.1)
Keywords: net.htmlparser.jericho.StartTag class

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## net.htmlparser.jericho
Class StartTag

    java.lang.Object
      Segment
          Tag
              StartTag

All Implemented Interfaces:
  java.lang.CharSequence, java.lang.Comparable<Segment>

    public final class StartTag

extends Tag

Represents the start tag of an element in a specific source document.

A start tag always has a type that is a subclass of `StartTagType`, meaning that any tag that does not start with the characters '`</`' is categorised as a start tag.

This includes many tags which stand alone, without a corresponding end tag, and would not intuitively be categorised as a "start tag". For example, an HTML comment is represented as a single start tag that spans the whole comment, and does not have an end tag at all.

See the static fields defined in the `StartTagType` class for a list of the standard start tag types.

`StartTag` instances are obtained using one of the following methods:

- `Element.getStartTag()`
- `Tag.getNextTag()`
- `Tag.getPreviousTag()`
- `Source.getPreviousStartTag(int pos)`
- `Source.getPreviousStartTag(int pos, String name)`
- `Source.getPreviousTag(int pos)`
- `Source.getPreviousTag(int pos, TagType)`
- `Source.getNextStartTag(int pos)`
- `Source.getNextStartTag(int pos, String name)`
- `Source.getNextStartTag(int pos, String attributeName, String value, boolean valueCaseSensitive)`
- `Source.getNextTag(int pos)`
- `Source.getNextTag(int pos, TagType)`
- `Source.getEnclosingTag(int pos)`
- `Source.getEnclosingTag(int pos, TagType)`
- `Source.getTagAt(int pos)`
- `Segment.getAllStartTags()`
- `Segment.getAllStartTags(String name)`
- `Segment.getAllStartTags(String attributeName, String value, boolean valueCaseSensitive)`
- `Segment.getAllTags()`
- `Segment.getAllTags(TagType)`

The methods above which accept a `name` parameter are categorised as named search methods.

In such methods dealing with start tags, specifying an argument to the `name` parameter that ends in a colon (`:`) searches for all start tags in the specified XML namespace.

The constants defined in the `HTMLElementName` interface can be used directly as arguments to these `name` parameters. For example, `source.getAllStartTags(``HTMLElementName.A``)` is equivalent to `source.getAllStartTags("a")`, and gets all hyperlink start tags.

The `Tag` superclass defines a method called `getName()` to get the name of this start tag.

See also the XML 1.0 specification for start tags.

See Also:
  `Tag`, `Element`, `EndTag`

Method Summary
`static java.lang.String` | `generateHTML(java.lang.String tagName, java.util.Map<java.lang.String,java.lang.String> attributesMap, boolean emptyElementTag)` Generates the HTML text of a normal start tag with the specified tag name and attributes map.
`Attributes` | `getAttributes()` Returns the attributes specified in this start tag.
`java.lang.String` | `getAttributeValue(java.lang.String attributeName)` Returns the decoded value of the attribute with the specified name (case insensitive).
`java.lang.String` | `getDebugInfo()` Returns a string representation of this object useful for debugging purposes.
`Element` | `getElement()` Returns the element that is started by this start tag.
`FormControl` | `getFormControl()` Returns the `FormControl` defined by this start tag.
`StartTagType` | `getStartTagType()` Returns the type of this start tag.
`Segment` | `getTagContent()` Returns the segment between the end of the tag's name and the start of its end delimiter.
`TagType` | `getTagType()` Returns the type of this tag.
`boolean` | `isEmptyElementTag()` Indicates whether this start tag is an empty-element tag.
`boolean` | `isEndTagForbidden()` Indicates whether a matching end tag is forbidden.
`boolean` | `isEndTagRequired()` Indicates whether a matching end tag is required.
`boolean` | `isSyntacticalEmptyElementTag()` Indicates whether this start tag is syntactically an empty-element tag.
`boolean` | `isUnregistered()` Indicates whether this tag has a syntax that does not match any of the registered tag types.
`Attributes` | `parseAttributes()` Parses the attributes specified in this start tag, regardless of the type of start tag.
`Attributes` | `parseAttributes(int maxErrorCount)` Parses the attributes specified in this start tag, regardless of the type of start tag.
`java.lang.String` | `tidy()` Returns an XML representation of this start tag.
`java.lang.String` | `tidy(boolean toXHTML)` Returns an XML or XHTML representation of this start tag.

Methods inherited from class Tag
`getName, getNameSegment, getNextTag, getPreviousTag, getUserData, isXMLName, isXMLNameChar, isXMLNameStartChar, setUserData`

Methods inherited from class Segment
`charAt, compareTo, encloses, encloses, equals, getAllCharacterReferences, getAllElements, getAllElements, getAllElements, getAllElements, getAllElements, getAllElementsByClass, getAllStartTags, getAllStartTags, getAllStartTags, getAllStartTags, getAllStartTags, getAllStartTagsByClass, getAllTags, getAllTags, getBegin, getChildElements, getEnd, getFirstElement, getFirstElement, getFirstElement, getFirstElement, getFirstElementByClass, getFirstStartTag, getFirstStartTag, getFirstStartTag, getFirstStartTag, getFirstStartTag, getFirstStartTagByClass, getFormControls, getFormFields, getNodeIterator, getRenderer, getSource, getTextExtractor, hashCode, ignoreWhenParsing, isWhiteSpace, isWhiteSpace, length, subSequence, toString`

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

Method Detail

### getElement

    public Element getElement()

  Returns the element that is started by this start tag. Guaranteed not `null`.

  Example 1: Elements for which the end tag is required

            1. <div>
            2.   <div>
            3.     <div>
            4.       <div>This is line 4</div>
            5.     </div>
            6.     <div>This is line 6</div>
            7.   </div>

    - The start tag on line 1 returns an empty element spanning only the start tag. This is because the end tag of a `<div>` element is required, making the sample code invalid as all the end tags are matched with other start tags.
    - The start tag on line 2 returns an element spanning to the end of line 7.
    - The start tag on line 3 returns an element spanning to the end of line 5.
    - The start tag on line 4 returns an element spanning to the end of line 4.
    - The start tag on line 6 returns an element spanning to the end of line 6.

  Example 2: Elements for which the end tag is optional

            1. <ul>
            2.   <li>item 1
            3.   <li>item 2
            4.     <ul>
            5.       <li>subitem 1</li>
            6.       <li>subitem 2
            7.     </ul>
            8.   <li>item 3</li>
            9. </ul>

    - The start tag on line 1 returns an element spanning to the end of line 9.
    - The start tag on line 2 returns an element spanning to the start of the `<li>` start tag on line 3.
    - The start tag on line 3 returns an element spanning to the start of the `<li>` start tag on line 8.
    - The start tag on line 4 returns an element spanning to the end of line 7.
    - The start tag on line 5 returns an element spanning to the end of line 5.
    - The start tag on line 6 returns an element spanning to the start of the `</ul>` end tag on line 7.
    - The start tag on line 8 returns an element spanning to the end of line 8.

  Specified by:
    `getElement` in class `Tag`
  Returns:
    the element that is started by this start tag.

### isEmptyElementTag

    public boolean isEmptyElementTag()

  Indicates whether this start tag is an empty-element tag.

  This property checks that the the tag is syntactically an empty-element tag, but in addition checks that the name of the tag is not one that is defined in the HTML specification to have a required or optional end tag, which the major browsers do not recognise as empty-element tags, even in an XHTML document.

  This is equivalent to:
  `isSyntacticalEmptyElementTag()``&& !(``HTMLElements.getEndTagOptionalElementNames()``.contains(``getName()``) ||` `HTMLElements.getEndTagRequiredElementNames()``.contains(``getName()``))`.

  Returns:
    `true` if this start tag is an empty-element tag, otherwise `false`.

### isSyntacticalEmptyElementTag

    public boolean isSyntacticalEmptyElementTag()

  Indicates whether this start tag is syntactically an empty-element tag.

  This is signified by the characters "/>" at the end of the start tag.

  Only a normal start tag can be syntactically an empty-element tag.

  This property simply reports whether the syntax of the start tag is consistent with that of an empty-element tag, it does not guarantee that this start tag's element is actually empty.

  This possible discrepancy reflects the way major browsers interpret illegal empty element tags used in HTML elements, and is explained further in the documentation of the `isEmptyElementTag()` property.

  Returns:
    `true` if this start tag is syntactically an empty-element tag, otherwise `false`.
  See Also:
    `isEmptyElementTag()`

### getStartTagType

    public StartTagType getStartTagType()

  Returns the type of this start tag.

  This is equivalent to `(StartTagType)``getTagType()`.

  Returns:
    the type of this start tag.

### getTagType

    public TagType getTagType()

  Description copied from class: `Tag`
  Returns the type of this tag.

  Specified by:
    `getTagType` in class `Tag`
  Returns:
    the type of this tag.

### getAttributes

    public Attributes getAttributes()

  Returns the attributes specified in this start tag.

  Return value is not `null` if and only if `getStartTagType()``.``hasAttributes()``==true`.

  To force the parsing of attributes in other start tag types, use the `parseAttributes()` method instead.

  Returns:
    the attributes specified in this start tag, or `null` if the type of this start tag does not have attributes.
  See Also:
    `parseAttributes()`, `Source.parseAttributes(int pos, int maxEnd)`

### getAttributeValue

    public java.lang.String getAttributeValue(java.lang.String attributeName)

  Returns the decoded value of the attribute with the specified name (case insensitive).

  Returns `null` if this start tag does not have attributes, no attribute with the specified name exists or the attribute has no value.

  This is equivalent to `getAttributes()``.``getValue(attributeName)`, except that it returns `null` if this start tag does not have attributes instead of throwing a `NullPointerException`.

  Parameters:
    `attributeName` - the name of the attribute to get.
  Returns:
    the decoded value of the attribute with the specified name, or `null` if the attribute does not exist or has no value.

### parseAttributes

    public Attributes parseAttributes()

  Parses the attributes specified in this start tag, regardless of the type of start tag. This method is only required in the unusual situation where attributes exist in a start tag whose type doesn't have attributes.

  This method returns the cached attributes from the `getAttributes()` method if its value is not `null`, otherwise the source is physically parsed with each call to this method.

  This is equivalent to `parseAttributes``(``Attributes.getDefaultMaxErrorCount()``)}`.

  Overrides:
    `parseAttributes` in class `Segment`
  Returns:
    the attributes specified in this start tag, or `null` if too many errors occur while parsing.
  See Also:
    `getAttributes()`, `Source.parseAttributes(int pos, int maxEnd)`

### parseAttributes

    public Attributes parseAttributes(int maxErrorCount)

  Parses the attributes specified in this start tag, regardless of the type of start tag. This method is only required in the unusual situation where attributes exist in a start tag whose type doesn't have attributes.

  See the documentation of the `parseAttributes()` method for more information.

  Parameters:
    `maxErrorCount` - the maximum number of minor errors allowed while parsing
  Returns:
    the attributes specified in this start tag, or `null` if too many errors occur while parsing.
  See Also:
    `getAttributes()`

### getTagContent

    public Segment getTagContent()

  Returns the segment between the end of the tag's name and the start of its end delimiter.

  This method is normally only of use for start tags whose content is something other than attributes.

  A new `Segment` object is created with each call to this method.

  Returns:
    the segment between the end of the tag's name and the start of the end delimiter.

### getFormControl

    public FormControl getFormControl()

  Returns the `FormControl` defined by this start tag.

  This is equivalent to `getElement()``.``getFormControl()`.

  Returns:
    the `FormControl` defined by this start tag, or `null` if it is not a control.

### isEndTagForbidden

    public boolean isEndTagForbidden()

  Indicates whether a matching end tag is forbidden.

  This property returns `true` if one of the following conditions is met:

  - The type of this start tag does not specify a corresponding end tag type.
  - The name of this start tag indicates it is the start of an HTML element whose end tag is forbidden.
  - This start tag is syntactically an empty-element tag and its name indicates it is the start of a non-HTML element.

  If this property returns `true` then this start tag's element will always be a single tag element.

  Returns:
    `true` if a matching end tag is forbidden, otherwise `false`.

### isEndTagRequired

    public boolean isEndTagRequired()

  Indicates whether a matching end tag is required.

  This property returns `true` if one of the following conditions is met:

  - The type of this start tag is NOT `StartTagType.NORMAL`, but specifies a corresponding end tag type.
  - The name of this start tag indicates it is the start of an HTML element whose end tag is required.
  - This start tag is NOT syntactically an empty-element tag and its name indicates it is the start of a non-HTML element.

  Returns:
    `true` if a matching end tag is required, otherwise `false`.

### isUnregistered

    public boolean isUnregistered()

  Description copied from class: `Tag`
  Indicates whether this tag has a syntax that does not match any of the registered tag types.

  The only requirement of an unregistered tag type is that it starts with '`<`' and there is a closing '`>`' character at some position after it in the source document.

  The absence or presence of a '`/`' character after the initial '`<`' determines whether an unregistered tag is respectively a `StartTag` with a type of `StartTagType.UNREGISTERED` or an `EndTag` with a type of `EndTagType.UNREGISTERED`.

  There are no restrictions on the characters that might appear between these delimiters, including other '`<`' characters. This may result in a '`>`' character that is identified as the closing delimiter of two separate tags, one an unregistered tag, and the other a tag of any type that begins in the middle of the unregistered tag. As explained below, unregistered tags are usually only found when specifically looking for them, so it is up to the user to detect and deal with any such nonsensical results.

  Unregistered tags are only returned by the `Source.getTagAt(int pos)` method, named search methods, where the specified `name` matches the first characters inside the tag, and by tag type search methods, where the specified `tagType` is either `StartTagType.UNREGISTERED` or `EndTagType.UNREGISTERED`.

  Open tag searches and other searches always ignore unregistered tags, although every discovery of an unregistered tag is logged by the parser.

  The logic behind this design is that unregistered tag types are usually the result of a '`<`' character in the text that was mistakenly left unencoded, or a less-than operator inside a script, or some other occurrence which is of no interest to the user. By returning unregistered tags in named and tag type search methods, the library allows the user to specifically search for tags with a certain syntax that does not match any existing `TagType`. This expediency feature avoids the need for the user to create a custom tag type to define the syntax before searching for these tags. By not returning unregistered tags in the less specific search methods, it is providing only the information that most users are interested in.

  Specified by:
    `isUnregistered` in class `Tag`
  Returns:
    `true` if this tag has a syntax that does not match any of the registered tag types, otherwise `false`.

### tidy

    public java.lang.String tidy()

  Returns an XML representation of this start tag.

  This is equivalent to `tidy(false)`, thereby keeping the name of the tag in its original case.

  See the documentation of the `tidy(boolean toXHTML)` method for more details.

  Specified by:
    `tidy` in class `Tag`
  Returns:
    an XML representation of this start tag, or the source text if it is of a type that does not have attributes.

### tidy

    public java.lang.String tidy(boolean toXHTML)

  Returns an XML or XHTML representation of this start tag.

  The tidying of the tag is carried out as follows:

  - if this start tag is of a type that does not have attributes, then the original source text of the enture tag is returned.
  - if this start tag contain any server tags outside of an attribute value, then the original source text of the entire tag is returned.
  - name converted to lower case if the `toXHTML` argument is `true` and this is a normal start tag
  - attributes separated by a single space
  - attribute names in original case
  - attribute values are enclosed in double quotes and re-encoded
  - if this start tag forms an HTML element that has no end tag, a slash is inserted before the closing angle bracket, separated from the name or last attribute by a single space.
  - if an attribute value contains a server tag it is inserted verbatim instead of being encoded.

  The `toXHTML` parameter determines only whether the name is converted to lower case for normal tags. In all other respects the generated tag is already valid XHTML.

  Example:

    The following source text:

    > `<INPUT name=Company value='G&uuml;nter O&#39;Reilly &amp Associés'>`

    produces the following regenerated HTML:

    > `<input name="Company" value="G&uuml;nter O'Reilly &amp; Associ&eacute;s" />`

  Parameters:
    `toXHTML` - specifies whether the output is XHTML.
  Returns:
    an XML or XHTML representation of this start tag, or the source text if it is of a type that does not have attributes.

### generateHTML

    public static java.lang.String generateHTML(java.lang.String tagName,
                                                java.util.Map<java.lang.String,java.lang.String> attributesMap,
                                                boolean emptyElementTag)

  Generates the HTML text of a normal start tag with the specified tag name and attributes map.

  The output of the attributes is as described in the `Attributes.generateHTML(Map attributesMap)` method.

  The `emptyElementTag` parameter specifies whether the start tag should be an empty-element tag, in which case a slash is inserted before the closing angle bracket, separated from the name or last attribute by a single space.

  Example:

    The following code:

    >      LinkedHashMap attributesMap=new LinkedHashMap();
    >      attributesMap.put("name","Company");
    >      attributesMap.put("value","G\n00fcnter O'Reilly & Associés");
    >      System.out.println(StartTag.generateHTML("INPUT",attributesMap,true));

    generates the following output:

    > `<INPUT name="Company" value="G&uuml;nter O'Reilly &amp; Associ&eacute;s" />`

  Parameters:
    `tagName` - the name of the start tag.
    `attributesMap` - a map containing attribute name/value pairs.
    `emptyElementTag` - specifies whether the start tag should be an empty-element tag.
  Returns:
    the HTML text of a normal start tag with the specified tag name and attributes map.
  See Also:
    `EndTag.generateHTML(String tagName)`

### getDebugInfo

    public java.lang.String getDebugInfo()

  Description copied from class: `Segment`
  Returns a string representation of this object useful for debugging purposes.

  Overrides:
    `getDebugInfo` in class `Segment`
  Returns:
    a string representation of this object useful for debugging purposes.

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