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


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  * ObjectDescription.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: ObjectDescription.java,v 1.3 2005/11/14 11:03:12 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  * An interface for object descriptions.
53  *
54  * @author Thomas Morgner
55  */
56 public interface ObjectDescription extends Serializable JavaDoc {
57
58     /**
59      * Returns a parameter definition. If the parameter is invalid, this
60      * function returns null.
61      *
62      * @param name the definition name.
63      *
64      * @return The parameter class or null, if the parameter is not defined.
65      */
66     public Class JavaDoc getParameterDefinition(String JavaDoc name);
67
68     /**
69      * Sets the value of a parameter.
70      *
71      * @param name the parameter name.
72      * @param value the parameter value.
73      */
74     public void setParameter(String JavaDoc name, Object JavaDoc value);
75
76     /**
77      * Returns the value of a parameter.
78      *
79      * @param name the parameter name.
80      *
81      * @return The value.
82      */
83     public Object JavaDoc getParameter(String JavaDoc name);
84
85     /**
86      * Returns an iterator the provides access to the parameter names. This
87      * returns all _known_ parameter names, the object description may accept
88      * additional parameters.
89      *
90      * @return The iterator.
91      */
92     public Iterator JavaDoc getParameterNames();
93
94     /**
95      * Returns the object class.
96      *
97      * @return The Class.
98      */
99     public Class JavaDoc getObjectClass();
100
101     /**
102      * Creates an object based on the description.
103      *
104      * @return The object.
105      */
106     public Object JavaDoc createObject();
107
108     /**
109      * Returns a cloned instance of the object description. The contents
110      * of the parameter objects collection are cloned too, so that any
111      * already defined parameter value is copied to the new instance.
112      * <p>
113      * Parameter definitions are not cloned, as they are considered read-only.
114      * <p>
115      * The newly instantiated object description is not configured. If it
116      * need to be configured, then you have to call configure on it.
117      *
118      * @return A cloned instance.
119      */
120     public ObjectDescription getUnconfiguredInstance();
121
122     /**
123      * Returns a cloned instance of the object description. The contents
124      * of the parameter objects collection are cloned too, so that any
125      * already defined parameter value is copied to the new instance.
126      * <p>
127      * Parameter definitions are not cloned, as they are considered read-only.
128      *
129      * @return A cloned instance.
130      */
131     public ObjectDescription getInstance();
132
133     /**
134      * Sets the parameters of this description object to match the supplied object.
135      *
136      * @param o the object.
137      *
138      * @throws ObjectFactoryException if there is a problem while reading the
139      * properties of the given object.
140      */
141     public void setParameterFromObject(Object JavaDoc o) throws ObjectFactoryException;
142
143
144     /**
145      * Configures this factory. The configuration contains several keys and
146      * their defined values. The given reference to the configuration object
147      * will remain valid until the report parsing or writing ends.
148      * <p>
149      * The configuration contents may change during the reporting.
150      *
151      * @param config the configuration, never null
152      */
153     public void configure(Configuration config);
154
155     /**
156      * Compares whether two object descriptions are equal.
157      *
158      * @param o the other object.
159      * @return true, if both object desciptions describe the same object, false otherwise.
160      */
161     public boolean equals (Object JavaDoc o);
162
163
164     /**
165      * Computes the hashCode for this ClassFactory. As equals() must be implemented,
166      * a corresponding hashCode() should be implemented as well.
167      *
168      * @return the hashcode.
169      */
170     public int hashCode();
171
172 }
173
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