setattrobject

Setattrobject is a data structure used in software design to manage a collection of attributes attached to an entity. It functions as a wrapper around a key-value attribute map, enabling dynamic addition, removal, and retrieval of properties without requiring static fields on the host object. The term is often used in discussions of attribute-driven programming and flexible data models.

Typically, a setattrobject contains an internal map of attribute names to values, optional metadata such as version or source, and a set of operations for setting, getting, removing, validating, and serializing attributes. Attributes usually have unique names within the object, and values may be constrained by type checks or custom validators. Change events or observers may be supported to notify dependent components when an attribute changes.

Usage scenarios include configuration objects, user interface state bags, plugin or extension metadata, and data models where attributes cannot be determined at compile time. Setattrobjects provide decoupling between the core object structure and its properties, enabling greater flexibility and easier serialization or persistence of dynamic attributes.

Example in pseudocode:

setattrobject = new SetAttrObject()

setattrobject.set("color", "blue")

setattrobject.set("opacity", 0.75)

color = setattrobject.get("color")

Advantages include configurability and ease of persistence; drawbacks may involve performance overhead and the potential for attribute name collisions or reduced type safety.

Related concepts include dynamic property bags, reflection-based attribute access, and Python’s setattr function.