org.dellroad.hl7

Class HL7Message

java.lang.Object

org.dellroad.hl7.HL7Message

All Implemented Interfaces:

Serializable

public class HL7Message
extends Object
implements Serializable

Represents an HL7 message.

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
static char	SEGMENT_TERMINATOR The character that separates segments in an HL7 message.
protected HL7SegmentList	segments The segments in this message.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
HL7Message() Convenience constructor.
HL7Message(HL7Seps seps) Construct an empty HL7 message.
HL7Message(MSHSegment msh) Construct a new HL7 message containing only the given MSH segment.
HL7Message(String msg) Parsing constructor.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
boolean	equals(Object obj)
HL7Segment	findSegment(String segname) Convenience method.
HL7Segment	findSegment(String segname, int segnum) Get the first occurrence of a segname segment in this message.
String	get(String name) Convenience method.
String	get(String name, int segnum, int repeat) Find a string value by HL7 name.
HL7Field	getField(String name) Convenience method.
HL7Field	getField(String name, int segnum) Find a field by HL7 name.
MSHSegment	getMSHSegment() Get the MSH segment of this message.
HL7SegmentList	getSegments() Get all of the segments in this message.
int	hashCode()
String	toString() Convert this message into a string by concatenating the segments in string form, each terminated with a carriage return.
String	toString(HL7Seps seps) Format this message using the supplied separators instead of the ones defined by the MSH segment.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

SEGMENT_TERMINATOR

public static final char SEGMENT_TERMINATOR

The character that separates segments in an HL7 message.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

segments

protected final HL7SegmentList segments

The segments in this message. This list always contains at least one element, namely the MSHSegment.

Constructor Detail

HL7Message

public HL7Message(MSHSegment msh)

Construct a new HL7 message containing only the given MSH segment.

Parameters:

msh - MSH segment

HL7Message

public HL7Message(HL7Seps seps)

Construct an empty HL7 message.

A MSH segment will be automatically added.

Parameters:

seps - separator and escape characters to use for this message

HL7Message

public HL7Message()

Convenience constructor. Equivalent to:

HL7Message(HL7Seps.DEFAULT)

HL7Message

public HL7Message(String msg)
           throws HL7ContentException

Parsing constructor. Constructs an HL7 message by parsing the given string. Segments must be separated with a carriage return character.

Parameters:

msg - string-encoded message

Throws:

HL7ContentException - if the string is invalid

Method Detail

getMSHSegment

public MSHSegment getMSHSegment()

Get the MSH segment of this message.

Returns:

this message's MSH segment (not a copy; changes are reflected back)

getSegments

public HL7SegmentList getSegments()

Get all of the segments in this message.

The returned list does not allow removing the first element (the MSH segment) or changing it to anything other than an MSHSegment.

Returns:

list of all message segments including MSH

findSegment

public HL7Segment findSegment(String segname,
                              int segnum)

Get the first occurrence of a segname segment in this message.

Parameters:

segname - segment name, e.g., "PV1"

segnum - starting segment index to start search; index zero refers to the MSH segment

Returns:

first matching segment found, or null if not found

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if segnum is negative

findSegment

public HL7Segment findSegment(String segname)

Convenience method. Equivalent to:

findSegment(name, 0)

Parameters:

segname - segment name, e.g., "PV1"

Returns:

first matching segment found, or null if not found

getField

public HL7Field getField(String name,
                         int segnum)

Find a field by HL7 name. The name is of the form XYZ.N where "XYZ" is the segment name and "N" is the field number.

Parameters:

name - field name, e.g., "PV1.3"

segnum - starting segment index (zero to start from MSH segment)

Returns:

named HL7 field, or null if the named field doesn't exist in this message

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if name is not properly formatted

IllegalArgumentException - if segnum is negative

getField

public HL7Field getField(String name)

Convenience method. Equivalent to:

getField(name, 0)

Parameters:

name - field name, e.g., "PV1.3"

Returns:

named HL7 field, or null if the named field doesn't exist in this message

get

public String get(String name,
                  int segnum,
                  int repeat)

Find a string value by HL7 name. The name is of the form XYZ.N[.M[.L]] where XYZ is the segment name, N is the field number, M is the optional component number, and L is the optional subcomponent number.

If either of M or L are not given, they are assumed to be 1 so an unambiguous string value can always be returned.

Parameters:

name - HL7 value name, e.g., "PV1.3", "MSH.9.1", "ZZZ.3.2.1"

segnum - starting segment index

repeat - repeat index (starting from zero)

Returns:

named HL7 value, or null if the named value doesn't exist in this message

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if name is not properly formatted

IllegalArgumentException - if "M" or "L" is negative

IllegalArgumentException - if segnum or repeat is negative

get

public String get(String name)

Convenience method. Equivalent to:

getField(name, 0, 0)

Parameters:

name - HL7 value name, e.g., "PV1.3", "MSH.9.1", "ZZZ.3.2.1"

Returns:

named HL7 field, or null if the named field doesn't exist in this message

equals

public boolean equals(Object obj)

Overrides:

equals in class Object

hashCode

public int hashCode()

Overrides:

hashCode in class Object

toString

public String toString()

Convert this message into a string by concatenating the segments in string form, each terminated with a carriage return.

Overrides:

toString in class Object

toString

public String toString(HL7Seps seps)

Format this message using the supplied separators instead of the ones defined by the MSH segment. If seps does not define an escape character, then characters that need to be escaped are silently elided.

Parameters:

seps - HL7 separator characters

Returns:

string encoding of this message