A quick question on the intent for some of the methods in AbstractRecordReader

[Edmon Begoli]

In AbstractRecordReader:

What is the intent of the following methods (my comments or questions
follow #.
I will try to add the answers as javadoc)

# is this a collection of columns specified in the query projection (select
columns[1],...[n]?

  protected final void setColumns(Collection<SchemaPath> projected) {
    assert Preconditions.checkNotNull(projected, COL_NULL_ERROR).size() > 0
: COL_EMPTY_ERROR;
    if (projected instanceof ColumnList) {
      final ColumnList columns = ColumnList.class.cast(projected);
      isSkipQuery = columns.getMode() == ColumnList.Mode.SKIP_ALL;
    }
    isStarQuery = isStarQuery(projected);
    columns = transformColumns(projected);
  }

  # is this returning all columns in the storage or what specified in the
projection?
  protected Collection<SchemaPath> getColumns() {

 # what is the intention of this?
  protected Collection<SchemaPath> transformColumns(Collection<SchemaPath>
projected) {

 # where is this actually determined?
  protected boolean isStarQuery() {
    return isStarQuery;
  }


# where is this set? Is it only set inside the setColumns(...) ?
  /**
   * Returns true if reader should skip all of the columns, reporting
number of records only. Handling of a skip query
   * is storage plugin-specific.
   */
  protected boolean isSkipQuery() {
    return isSkipQuery;
  }

  # what exactly is a schema path and how it looks like in a query? How it
related to star query?
  public static boolean isStarQuery(Collection<SchemaPath> projected) {
    return Iterables.tryFind(Preconditions.checkNotNull(projected,
COL_NULL_ERROR), new Predicate<SchemaPath>() {
      @Override

      public boolean apply(SchemaPath path) {
        return Preconditions.checkNotNull(path).equals(STAR_COLUMN);
      }
    }).isPresent();
  }

  # what is the allocation? what drives it? are there any limits or options
for "lazy" allocation?
  @Override
  public void allocate(Map<Key, ValueVector> vectorMap) throws
OutOfMemoryException {


Thank you,
Edmon