weka.filters.unsupervised.attribute

## Class NominalToString

- java.lang.Object
- - weka.filters.Filter
  - - weka.filters.unsupervised.attribute.NominalToString

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    java.io.Serializable, CapabilitiesHandler, CapabilitiesIgnorer, OptionHandler, RevisionHandler, UnsupervisedFilter

      public class NominalToString
      extends Filter
      implements UnsupervisedFilter, OptionHandler

  Converts a nominal attribute (i.e. set number of values) to string (i.e. unspecified number of values).

  Valid options are:

       -C <col>
        Sets the range of attributes to convert (default last).

  Version:
    $Revision: 10215 $
  Author:
    FracPete (fracpete at waikato dot ac dot nz)
  See Also:
    Serialized Form

- - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `NominalToString()`

  - ### Method Summary

    Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `java.lang.String` | `attributeIndexesTipText()` Returns the tip text for this property
    `boolean` | `batchFinished()` Signifies that this batch of input to the filter is finished.
    `java.lang.String` | `getAttributeIndexes()` Get the index of the attribute used.
    `Capabilities` | `getCapabilities()` Returns the Capabilities of this filter.
    `java.lang.String[]` | `getOptions()` Gets the current settings of the filter.
    `java.lang.String` | `getRevision()` Returns the revision string.
    `java.lang.String` | `globalInfo()` Returns a string describing this filter
    `boolean` | `input(Instance instance)` Input an instance for filtering.
    `java.util.Enumeration<Option>` | `listOptions()` Returns an enumeration describing the available options.
    `static void` | `main(java.lang.String[] args)` Main method for testing this class.
    `void` | `setAttributeIndexes(java.lang.String attIndex)` Sets index of the attribute used.
    `boolean` | `setInputFormat(Instances instanceInfo)` Sets the format of the input instances.
    `void` | `setOptions(java.lang.String[] options)` Parses a given list of options.

    - ### Methods inherited from class weka.filters.Filter

      `batchFilterFile, debugTipText, doNotCheckCapabilitiesTipText, filterFile, getCapabilities, getDebug, getDoNotCheckCapabilities, getOutputFormat, isFirstBatchDone, isNewBatch, isOutputFormatDefined, makeCopies, makeCopy, mayRemoveInstanceAfterFirstBatchDone, numPendingOutput, output, outputPeek, runFilter, setDebug, setDoNotCheckCapabilities, toString, useFilter, wekaStaticWrapper`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### NominalToString

          public NominalToString()

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### globalInfo

          public java.lang.String globalInfo()

      Returns a string describing this filter
      Returns:
        a description of the filter suitable for displaying in the explorer/experimenter gui

    - #### getCapabilities

          public Capabilities getCapabilities()

      Returns the Capabilities of this filter.
      Specified by:
        `getCapabilities` in interface `CapabilitiesHandler`
      Overrides:
        `getCapabilities` in class `Filter`
      Returns:
        the capabilities of this object
      See Also:
        `Capabilities`

    - #### setInputFormat

          public boolean setInputFormat(Instances instanceInfo)
                                 throws java.lang.Exception

      Sets the format of the input instances.
      Overrides:
        `setInputFormat` in class `Filter`
      Parameters:
        `instanceInfo` - an Instances object containing the input instance structure (any instances contained in the object are ignored - only the structure is required).
      Returns:
        true if the outputFormat may be collected immediately.
      Throws:
        `UnsupportedAttributeTypeException` - if the selected attribute a string attribute.
        `java.lang.Exception` - if the input format can't be set successfully.

    - #### input

          public boolean input(Instance instance)

      Input an instance for filtering. The instance is processed and made available for output immediately.
      Overrides:
        `input` in class `Filter`
      Parameters:
        `instance` - the input instance.
      Returns:
        true if the filtered instance may now be collected with output().
      Throws:
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if no input structure has been defined.

    - #### batchFinished

          public boolean batchFinished()

      Signifies that this batch of input to the filter is finished. If the filter requires all instances prior to filtering, output() may now be called to retrieve the filtered instances.
      Overrides:
        `batchFinished` in class `Filter`
      Returns:
        true if there are instances pending output.
      Throws:
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if no input structure has been defined.

    - #### listOptions

          public java.util.Enumeration<Option> listOptions()

      Returns an enumeration describing the available options.
      Specified by:
        `listOptions` in interface `OptionHandler`
      Overrides:
        `listOptions` in class `Filter`
      Returns:
        an enumeration of all the available options.

    - #### setOptions

          public void setOptions(java.lang.String[] options)
                          throws java.lang.Exception

      Parses a given list of options.

      Valid options are:

           -C <col>
            Sets the range of attributes to convert (default last).

      Specified by:
        `setOptions` in interface `OptionHandler`
      Overrides:
        `setOptions` in class `Filter`
      Parameters:
        `options` - the list of options as an array of strings
      Throws:
        `java.lang.Exception` - if an option is not supported

    - #### getOptions

          public java.lang.String[] getOptions()

      Gets the current settings of the filter.
      Specified by:
        `getOptions` in interface `OptionHandler`
      Overrides:
        `getOptions` in class `Filter`
      Returns:
        an array of strings suitable for passing to setOptions

    - #### attributeIndexesTipText

          public java.lang.String attributeIndexesTipText()

      Returns the tip text for this property
      Returns:
        tip text for this property suitable for displaying in the explorer/experimenter gui

    - #### getAttributeIndexes

          public java.lang.String getAttributeIndexes()

      Get the index of the attribute used.
      Returns:
        the index of the attribute

    - #### setAttributeIndexes

          public void setAttributeIndexes(java.lang.String attIndex)

      Sets index of the attribute used.
      Parameters:
        `attIndex` - the index of the attribute

    - #### getRevision

          public java.lang.String getRevision()

      Returns the revision string.
      Specified by:
        `getRevision` in interface `RevisionHandler`
      Overrides:
        `getRevision` in class `Filter`
      Returns:
        the revision

    - #### main

          public static void main(java.lang.String[] args)

      Main method for testing this class.
      Parameters:
        `args` - should contain arguments to the filter: use -h for help