New feature request: add boolean check for the existence specified OWL entity of given type

[dosumis]

It would be very useful if Brain provided a method for checking whether an OWL entity of a specified URI & type already exists in a Brain instance.

(Looks like the latest versions of the OWL-API have methods useful to this aim under the OWLOntology class, e.g. OWLOntology.containsEntityInSignature(IRI entityIRI) )

[loopasam]

There is a series of undocumented (:-/) methods that might be helpful to you. They take as input the shortform and return a boolean telling whether or not the entity exists. Example:
brain.knowsClass("Cell");
brain.knowsObjectProperty("part-of");

Does it solves your problem? If yes, this should be added to the main doc.

[dosumis]

It does indeed. I've been using direct OWL API calls, but this is much more convenient. Thanks!

[loopasam]

Cool! I add it to the doc then. Thanks for reporting and sorry for delays in replying!

[dosumis]

Also seems there is no equivalent method for checking individuals (at least I don't see one in the javadoc). Would be great if you could add that too.

[loopasam]

OK - I will implement.