private String getConfigAttribute(Configuration config, ChainedItem<Configuration> parentConfiguration,
                                      String attributeName, String defaultValue) {
        String ret;
        try {
            ret = config.getAttribute(attributeName);
        } catch (CheckstyleException e) {
            // Try to find the attribute in a parent, if there are any
            if (parentConfiguration != null) {
                ret =
                        getConfigAttribute(parentConfiguration.value, parentConfiguration.parent, attributeName,
                                defaultValue);
            } else {
                ret = defaultValue;
            }
        }
        return ret;
    }
private String getConfigAttribute(Configuration config, ChainedItem<Configuration> parentConfiguration,
                                      String attributeName, String defaultValue) {
        String ret;
        try {
            ret = config.getAttribute(attributeName);
        } catch (CheckstyleException e) {
            
            if (parentConfiguration != null) {
                ret =
                        getConfigAttribute(parentConfiguration.value, parentConfiguration.parent, attributeName,
                                defaultValue);
            } else {
                ret = defaultValue;
            }
        }
        return ret;
    }
private String getConfigAttribute ( Configuration config , ChainedItem < Configuration > parentConfiguration , String attributeName , String defaultValue ) { String ret ; try { ret = config . getAttribute ( attributeName ) ; } catch ( CheckstyleException e ) { // Try to find the attribute in a parent, if there are any if ( parentConfiguration != null ) { ret = getConfigAttribute ( parentConfiguration . value , parentConfiguration . parent , attributeName , defaultValue ) ; } else { ret = defaultValue ; } } return ret ; }
Get the value of the specified attribute from the Checkstyle configuration.
If parentConfigurations is non-null and non-empty, the parent
configurations are searched if the attribute cannot be found in the
current configuration. If the attribute is still not found, the
specified default value will be returned.

@param config              The current Checkstyle configuration
@param parentConfiguration The configuration of the parent of the current configuration
@param attributeName       The name of the attribute
@param defaultValue        The default value to use if the attribute cannot be found in any configuration
@return The value of the specified attribute
Get the value of the specified attribute from the Checkstyle configuration . If parentConfigurations is non - null and non - empty the parent configurations are searched if the attribute cannot be found in the current configuration . If the attribute is still not found the specified default value will be returned .