---
name: "Bio::MAGE::Association"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libbio-mage-perl"
version: "20030502.3-6"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Bio::MAGE::Association"
---

# Bio::MAGE::Association(3pm)

## Bio::MAGE::Association

### SYNOPSIS

```
  use Bio::MAGE::Association qw(:CARD);
  # creating an empty instance
  my $association = Bio::MAGE::Association->new();
  # populating the instance in the constructor
  my $association = Bio::MAGE::Association->new(self=>$assoc_end1,
                                                       other=>$assoc_end2);
  # setting and retrieving the association ends
  my $self_end = $association->self();
  $association->self($value);
  my $other_end = $association->other();
  $association->other($value);
```

### DESCRIPTION

This class holds the two association ends for each UML association. `"self"` is the end nearest the class of interest, while `"other"` is the end furthest away. The ends are of type `"Bio::MAGE::Association::End"`.

### CARDINALITY

Associations in UML have a `"cardinality"` that determines how many objects can be associated. In the `"Bio::MAGE::Association"` modulte, `"cardinality"` has two primary dimensions: **optional** or **required**, and **single** or **list**. So there are four combinations of the two dimensions:

- •

  0\..1

  This is an **optional** **single** association, meaning it can have one object associated, but it is optional.

- •

  1

  This is a **required** **single** association, meaning it **must** have exactly one object associated.

- •

  0\..N

  This is an **optional** **list** association, meaning it can have many objects associated.

- •

  1\..N

  This is an **required** **list** association, meaning it must have **at** **least** one object, but it **may** have many.

There are four constants defined in this module for handling the cardinalities, and they can be imported into an application using the **CARD** import tag:

```
  use Bio::MAGE::Association qw(:CARD);
```

The four constants are: **CARD\_0\_OR\_1**, **CARD\_1**, **CARD\_0\_TO\_N**, and **CARD\_1\_TO\_N**.

## Bio::MAGE::Association::End

### SYNOPSIS

```
  use Bio::MAGE::Association qw(:CARD);
  # creating an empty instance
  my $assoc_end = Bio::MAGE::Association::End->new();
  # populating the instance in the constructor
  my $assoc_end = Bio::MAGE::Association::End->new(
                                                name=>$name,
                                                is_ref=>$bool,
                                                cardinality=>CARD_0_TO_N,
                                                class_name=>$class_name,
                                                documentation=>$doc_string,
                                                rank=>$rank,
                                                ordered=>$bool,
                                               );
  # setting and retrieving object attributes
  my $name = $assoc_end->name();
  $assoc_end->name($value);
  my $is_ref = $assoc_end->is_ref();
  $assoc_end->is_ref($value);
  my $cardinality = $assoc_end->cardinality();
  $assoc_end->cardinality($value);
  my $class_name = $assoc_end->class_name();
  $assoc_end->class_name($value);
  my $documentation = $assoc_end->documentation();
  $assoc_end->documentation($value);
  my $rank = $assoc_end->rank();
  $assoc_end->rank($value);
  my $ordered = $assoc_end->ordered();
  $assoc_end->ordered($value);
  #
  # Utility methods
  #
  # does this end of list cardinality (0..N or 1..N)
  my $bool = $assoc_end->is_list();
```

### DESCRIPTION

This class stores the information in a single UML association end.