question: gets the value of the description property . this accessor method returns a reference to the live list , not a snapshot . therefore any modification you make to the returned list will be present inside the jaxb object . this is why there is not a set method for the description property . for example , to add a new item , do as follows : getdescription . add newitem ; objects of the following type s are allowed in the list displaytype concode_field_sep Boolean advanced concode_elem_sep String defaultValue concode_elem_sep Boolean masked concode_elem_sep List<DisplayType> display concode_elem_sep String name concode_elem_sep String fixedValue concode_elem_sep List<DisplayType> description concode_elem_sep Boolean index concode_elem_sep List<String> allowedValue concode_elem_sep String type concode_elem_sep Boolean required concode_field_sep void setName concode_elem_sep void setDefaultValue concode_elem_sep void setRequired concode_elem_sep String getName concode_elem_sep Boolean getIndex concode_elem_sep Boolean getMasked concode_elem_sep List<String> getAllowedValue concode_elem_sep void setType concode_elem_sep String getDefaultValue concode_elem_sep void setMasked concode_elem_sep String getType concode_elem_sep void setFixedValue concode_elem_sep String getFixedValue concode_elem_sep void setIndex concode_elem_sep Boolean getAdvanced concode_elem_sep List<DisplayType> getDisplay concode_elem_sep Boolean getRequired concode_elem_sep void setAdvanced
target: List < DisplayType > function ( ) { if ( description == null ) { description = new ArrayList < DisplayType > ( ) ; } return this . description ; }