//return the tree reference that corresponds to this tree element
public TreeReference getRef()
{
TreeElement elem = this;
TreeReference ref_ = TreeReference.selfRef();
while (elem != null)
{
TreeReference step;
if (elem.name != null)
{
step = TreeReference.selfRef();
step.add(elem.name, elem.multiplicity);
}
else
{
step = TreeReference.rootRef();
}
ref_ = ref_.parent(step);
elem = elem.parent;
}
return(ref_);
}
