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Java > Open Source Codes > org > jfree > xml > factory > objects > ClassFactory


1 /* ========================================================================
2  * JCommon : a free general purpose class library for the Java(tm) platform
3  * ========================================================================
4  *
5  * (C) Copyright 2000-2005, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
6  *
7  * Project Info: http://www.jfree.org/jcommon/index.html
8  *
9  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
10  * under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
11  * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
12  * (at your option) any later version.
13  *
14  * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
15  * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
16  * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public
17  * License for more details.
18  *
19  * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
20  * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
21  * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301,
22  * USA.
23  *
24  * [Java is a trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
25  * in the United States and other countries.]
26  *
27  * -----------------
28  * ClassFactory.java
29  * -----------------
30  * (C)opyright 2003, 2004, by Thomas Morgner and Contributors.
31  *
32  * Original Author: Thomas Morgner;
33  * Contributor(s): David Gilbert (for Object Refinery Limited);
34  *
35  * $Id: ClassFactory.java,v 1.3 2005/11/14 10:59:58 mungady Exp $
36  *
37  * Changes (from 19-Feb-2003)
38  * -------------------------
39  * 19-Feb-2003 : Added standard header and Javadocs (DG);
40  * 29-Apr-2003 : Distilled from the JFreeReport project and moved into JCommon
41  *
42  */
43
44 package org.jfree.xml.factory.objects;
45
46 import java.io.Serializable JavaDoc;
47 import java.util.Iterator JavaDoc;
48
49 import org.jfree.util.Configuration;
50
51 /**
52  * A class factory.
53  *
54  * @author Thomas Morgner
55  */
56 public interface ClassFactory extends Serializable JavaDoc {
57
58     /**
59      * Returns an object description for a class.
60      *
61      * @param c the class.
62      *
63      * @return The object description.
64      */
65     public ObjectDescription getDescriptionForClass(Class JavaDoc c);
66
67     /**
68      * Returns an object description for the super class of a class.
69      *
70      * @param d the class.
71      * @param knownSuperClass the last known super class or null.
72      *
73      * @return The object description.
74      */
75     public ObjectDescription getSuperClassObjectDescription
76         (Class JavaDoc d, ObjectDescription knownSuperClass);
77
78     /**
79      * Returns an iterator for the registered classes. This returns a list
80      * of pre-registered classes known to this ClassFactory. A class may be able
81      * to handle more than the registered classes.
82      * <p>
83      * This method exists to support query tools for UI design, do not rely on it
84      * for day to day work.
85      *
86      * @return The iterator.
87      */
88     public Iterator JavaDoc getRegisteredClasses();
89
90     /**
91      * Configures this factory. The configuration contains several keys and
92      * their defined values. The given reference to the configuration object
93      * will remain valid until the report parsing or writing ends.
94      * <p>
95      * The configuration contents may change during the reporting.
96      *
97      * @param config the configuration, never null
98      */
99     public void configure(Configuration config);
100
101
102     /**
103      * Compares whether two object factories are equal. This method must be
104      * implemented!
105      *
106      * @param o the other object.
107      * @return true, if both object factories describe the same objects, false otherwise.
108      */
109     public boolean equals (Object JavaDoc o);
110
111     /**
112      * Computes the hashCode for this ClassFactory. As equals() must be implemented,
113      * a corresponding hashCode() should be implemented as well.
114      *
115      * @return the hashcode.
116      */
117     public int hashCode();
118 }
119
120
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