Bug 207120 Please model provide an API for data type conversion.
Currently, there're two data types: column data type and parameter data type. But they're inconsistent. Could model provide APIs for conversion between the two types. Thanks. In addition: please check the code into head and 2.2.1 branch, because we have a 2.2.1 bug to fix.
model/org.eclipse.birt.report.model/src/org/eclipse/birt/report/model/api/ModuleUtil.java
* @param nameValue
	 *            the value of the name property.
	 * 
	 * @return true if the value of the name property is valid, false if it is
	 *         not valid.
	 */
	public static boolean isValidElementName(
			DesignElementHandle elementHandle, String propName, String nameValue )
	{
		ModuleHandle module = elementHandle.getModuleHandle( );
		PropertyDefn propDefn = (PropertyDefn) elementHandle
				.getPropertyDefn( propName );
		if ( propDefn == null )
			return false;
		PropertyType propType = propDefn.getType( );
		if ( propType.getTypeCode( ) != PropertyType.NAME_TYPE )
			return false;
		ElementDefn metaData = (ElementDefn) elementHandle.getDefn( );
		if ( ( nameValue == null ) || StringUtil.isEmpty( nameValue ) )
		{
			if ( metaData.getNameOption( ) == MetaDataConstants.REQUIRED_NAME )
				return false;
		}
		try
		{
			propType.validateValue( module.getModule( ), propDefn, nameValue );
			DesignElement existedElement = new NameExecutor( elementHandle
					.getElement( ) ).getNameSpace( elementHandle.module )
					.getElement( nameValue );
			if ( existedElement == null )