NAME
Bio::LocationI - Abstract interface of a Location on a Sequence
SYNOPSIS
# get a LocationI somehow
printf( "start = %d, end = %d, strand = %s, seq_id = %s\n",
$location->start, $location->end, $location->strand,
$location->seq_id);
print "location str is ", $location->to_FTstring(), "\n"; DESCRIPTION
This Interface defines the methods for a Bio::LocationI, an object which encapsulates a location on a biological sequence. Locations need not be attached to actual sequences as they are stand alone objects. LocationI objects are used by Bio::SeqFeatureI objects to manage and represent locations for a Sequence Feature.
FEEDBACK
User feedback is an integral part of the evolution of this and other Bioperl modules. Send your comments and suggestions preferably to one of the Bioperl mailing lists. Your participation is much appreciated.
bioperl-l@bioperl.org - General discussion
http://bio.perl.org/MailList.html - About the mailing listsReporting Bugs
Report bugs to the Bioperl bug tracking system to help us keep track the bugs and their resolution. Bug reports can be submitted via email or the web:
bioperl-bugs@bio.perl.org
http://bugzilla.bioperl.org/AUTHOR - Jason Stajich
Email jason@bioperl.org
APPENDIX
The rest of the documentation details each of the object methods. Internal methods are usually preceded with a _
location_type
Title : location_type
Usage : my $location_type = $location->location_type();
Function: Get location type encoded as text
Returns : string ('EXACT', 'WITHIN', 'BETWEEN')
Args : nonestart
Title : start
Usage : $start = $location->start();
Function: Get the start coordinate of this location as defined by
the currently active coordinate computation policy. In
simple cases, this will return the same number as
min_start() and max_start(), in more ambiguous cases like
fuzzy locations the number may be equal to one or neither
of both.
We override this here from RangeI in order to delegate
'get' to a L<Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicy> implementing
object. Implementing classes may also wish to provide
'set' functionality, in which case they *must* override
this method. The implementation provided here will throw
an exception if called with arguments.
Returns : A positive integer value.
Args : noneSee Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicy for more information
end
Title : end
Usage : $end = $location->end();
Function: Get the end coordinate of this location as defined by the
currently active coordinate computation policy. In simple
cases, this will return the same number as min_end() and
max_end(), in more ambiguous cases like fuzzy locations
the number may be equal to one or neither of both.
We override this here from Bio::RangeI in order to delegate
'get' to a L<Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicy> implementing
object. Implementing classes may also wish to provide
'set' functionality, in which case they *must* override
this method. The implementation provided here will throw
an exception if called with arguments.
Returns : A positive integer value.
Args : noneSee Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicy and Bio::RangeI for more information
min_start
Title : min_start
Usage : my $minstart = $location->min_start();
Function: Get minimum starting point of feature.
Note that an implementation must not call start() in this method.
Returns : integer or undef if no minimum starting point.
Args : nonemax_start
Title : max_start
Usage : my $maxstart = $location->max_start();
Function: Get maximum starting point of feature.
Note that an implementation must not call start() in this method
unless start() is overridden such as not to delegate to the
coordinate computation policy object.
Returns : integer or undef if no maximum starting point.
Args : nonestart_pos_type
Title : start_pos_type
Usage : my $start_pos_type = $location->start_pos_type();
Function: Get start position type encoded as text
Known valid values are 'BEFORE' (<5..100), 'AFTER' (>5..100),
'EXACT' (5..100), 'WITHIN' ((5.10)..100), 'BETWEEN', (5^6), with
their meaning best explained by their GenBank/EMBL location string
encoding in brackets.
Returns : string ('BEFORE', 'AFTER', 'EXACT','WITHIN', 'BETWEEN')
Args : nonemin_end
Title : min_end
Usage : my $minend = $location->min_end();
Function: Get minimum ending point of feature.
Note that an implementation must not call end() in this method
unless end() is overridden such as not to delegate to the
coordinate computation policy object.
Returns : integer or undef if no minimum ending point.
Args : nonemax_end
Title : max_end
Usage : my $maxend = $location->max_end();
Function: Get maximum ending point of feature.
Note that an implementation must not call end() in this method
unless end() is overridden such as not to delegate to the
coordinate computation policy object.
Returns : integer or undef if no maximum ending point.
Args : noneend_pos_type
Title : end_pos_type
Usage : my $end_pos_type = $location->end_pos_type();
Function: Get end position encoded as text.
Known valid values are 'BEFORE' (5..<100), 'AFTER' (5..>100),
'EXACT' (5..100), 'WITHIN' (5..(90.100)), 'BETWEEN', (5^6), with
their meaning best explained by their GenBank/EMBL location string
encoding in brackets.
Returns : string ('BEFORE', 'AFTER', 'EXACT','WITHIN', 'BETWEEN')
Args : noneseq_id
Title : seq_id
Usage : my $seqid = $location->seq_id();
Function: Get/Set seq_id that location refers to
Returns : seq_id (a string)
Args : [optional] seq_id value to setis_remote
Title : is_remote
Usage : $is_remote_loc = $loc->is_remote()
Function: Whether or not a location is a remote location.
A location is said to be remote if it is on a different
'object' than the object which 'has' this
location. Typically, features on a sequence will sometimes
have a remote location, which means that the location of
the feature is on a different sequence than the one that is
attached to the feature. In such a case, $loc->seq_id will
be different from $feat->seq_id (usually they will be the
same).
While this may sound weird, it reflects the location of the
kind of AB18375:450-900 which can be found in GenBank/EMBL
feature tables.
Example :
Returns : TRUE if the location is a remote location, and FALSE otherwise
Args : coordinate_policy
Title : coordinate_policy
Usage : $policy = $location->coordinate_policy();
$location->coordinate_policy($mypolicy); # set may not be possible
Function: Get the coordinate computing policy employed by this object.
See L<Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicyI> for documentation
about the policy object and its use.
The interface *does not* require implementing classes to
accept setting of a different policy. The implementation
provided here does, however, allow to do so.
Implementors of this interface are expected to initialize
every new instance with a
L<Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicyI> object. The
implementation provided here will return a default policy
object if none has been set yet. To change this default
policy object call this method as a class method with an
appropriate argument. Note that in this case only
subsequently created Location objects will be affected.
Returns : A L<Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicyI> implementing object.
Args : On set, a L<Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicyI> implementing object.See Bio::Location::CoordinatePolicyI for more information
to_FTstring
Title : to_FTstring
Usage : my $locstr = $location->to_FTstring()
Function: returns the FeatureTable string of this location
Returns : string
Args : noneeach_Location
Title : each_Location
Usage : @locations = $locObject->each_Location($order);
Function: Conserved function call across Location:: modules - will
return an array containing the component Location(s) in
that object, regardless if the calling object is itself a
single location or one containing sublocations.
Returns : an array of Bio::LocationI implementing objects
Args : Optional sort order to be passed to sub_Location() for Splits