# Class ElementIterator

java.lang.Object
javax.swing.text.ElementIterator

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `Cloneable`

public class ElementIterator extends Object implements Cloneable
`ElementIterator`, as the name suggests, iterates over the `Element` tree. The constructor can be invoked with either `Document` or an `Element` as an argument. If the constructor is invoked with a `Document` as an argument then the root of the iteration is the return value of `document.getDefaultRootElement()`.

The iteration happens in a depth-first manner. In terms of how boundary conditions are handled:

- if `next()` is called before `first()` or `current()`, the root will be returned
- `next()` returns `null` to indicate the end of the list
- `previous()` returns `null` when the current element is the root or `next()` has returned `null`

The `ElementIterator` does no locking of the `Element` tree. This means that it does not track any changes. It is the responsibility of the user of this class, to ensure that no changes happen during element iteration.

Simple usage example:

    public void iterate() {
         ElementIterator it = new ElementIterator(root);
         Element elem;
         while (true) {
             if ((elem = it.next()) != null) {
                 // process element
                 System.out.println("elem: " + elem.getName());
             } else {
                 break;
             }
         }
    }

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor
  Description
  `ElementIterator(Document document)`
  Creates a new `ElementIterator`.
  `ElementIterator(Element root)`
  Creates a new `ElementIterator`.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `Object`
  `clone()`
  Clones the `ElementIterator`.
  `Element`
  `current()`
  Fetches the current `Element`.
  `int`
  `depth()`
  Fetches the current depth of element tree.
  `Element`
  `first()`
  Fetches the first element.
  `Element`
  `next()`
  Fetches the next `Element`.
  `Element`
  `previous()`
  Fetches the previous `Element`.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

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

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### ElementIterator

    public ElementIterator(Document document)
    Creates a new `ElementIterator`. The root element is taken to get the default root element of the document.
    Parameters:
      `document` - a `Document`

  - ### ElementIterator

    public ElementIterator(Element root)
    Creates a new `ElementIterator`.
    Parameters:
      `root` - the root `Element`

- ## Method Details

  - ### clone

    public Object clone()
    Clones the `ElementIterator`.
    Overrides:
      `clone` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      a cloned `ElementIterator` Object
    See Also:
      - `Cloneable`

  - ### first

    public Element first()
    Fetches the first element.
    Returns:
      an `Element`

  - ### depth

    public int depth()
    Fetches the current depth of element tree.
    Returns:
      the depth

  - ### current

    public Element current()
    Fetches the current `Element`.
    Returns:
      element on top of the stack or `null` if the root element is `null`

  - ### next

    public Element next()
    Fetches the next `Element`. The strategy used to locate the next element is a depth-first search.
    Returns:
      the next element or `null` at the end of the list

  - ### previous

    public Element previous()
    Fetches the previous `Element`. If however the current element is the last element, or the current element is `null`, then `null` is returned.
    Returns:
      previous `Element` if available