Module java.base
Package java.lang.foreign

# Interface MemoryLayout.PathElement

Enclosing interface:
  `MemoryLayoutPREVIEW`

public static sealed interface MemoryLayout.PathElement
`PathElement` is a preview API of the Java platform.
Programs can only use `PathElement` when preview features are enabled.
Preview features may be removed in a future release, or upgraded to permanent features of the Java platform.
An element in a layout path. There are two kinds of path elements: group path elements and sequence path elements. Group path elements are used to select a named member layout within a `GroupLayout`PREVIEW. Sequence path elements are used to select a sequence element layout within a `SequenceLayout`PREVIEW; selection of sequence element layout can be explicit (see `sequenceElement(long)`) or implicit (see `sequenceElement()`). When a path uses one or more implicit sequence path elements, it acquires additional free dimensions.

Since:
  19
Implementation Requirements:
  Implementations of this interface are immutable, thread-safe and value-based.

- ## Method Summary

  Static Methods
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW`
  `groupElement(String name)`
  Returns a path element which selects a member layout with the given name in a group layout.
  `static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW`
  `sequenceElement()`
  Returns a path element which selects an unspecified element layout in a sequence layout.
  `static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW`
  `sequenceElement(long index)`
  Returns a path element which selects the element layout at the specified position in a sequence layout.
  `static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW`
  `sequenceElement(long start, long step)`
  Returns a path element which selects the element layout in a range of positions in a sequence layout.

- ## Method Details

  - ### groupElement

    static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW groupElement(String name)
    Returns a path element which selects a member layout with the given name in a group layout. The path element returned by this method does not alter the number of free dimensions of any path that is combined with such element.
    Parameters:
      `name` - the name of the group element to be selected.
    Returns:
      a path element which selects the group element with the given name.
    Implementation Requirements:
      in case multiple group elements with a matching name exist, the path element returned by this method will select the first one; that is, the group element with the lowest offset from current path is selected.

  - ### sequenceElement

    static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW sequenceElement(long index)
    Returns a path element which selects the element layout at the specified position in a sequence layout. The path element returned by this method does not alter the number of free dimensions of any path that is combined with such element.
    Parameters:
      `index` - the index of the sequence element to be selected.
    Returns:
      a path element which selects the sequence element layout with the given index.
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if `index < 0`.

  - ### sequenceElement

    static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW sequenceElement(long start, long step)
    Returns a path element which selects the element layout in a range of positions in a sequence layout. The range is expressed as a pair of starting index (inclusive) `S` and step factor (which can also be negative) `F`. If a path with free dimensions `n` is combined with the path element returned by this method, the number of free dimensions of the resulting path will be `1 + n`. If the free dimension associated with this path is bound by an index `I`, the resulting accessed offset can be obtained with the following formula:

    >      E * (S + I * F)

    where `E` is the size (in bytes) of the sequence element layout.
    Parameters:
      `start` - the index of the first sequence element to be selected.
      `step` - the step factor at which subsequence sequence elements are to be selected.
    Returns:
      a path element which selects the sequence element layout with the given index.
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if `start < 0`, or `step == 0`.

  - ### sequenceElement

    static MemoryLayout.PathElementPREVIEW sequenceElement()
    Returns a path element which selects an unspecified element layout in a sequence layout. If a path with free dimensions `n` is combined with the path element returned by this method, the number of free dimensions of the resulting path will be `1 + n`.
    Returns:
      a path element which selects an unspecified sequence element layout.