content: /* ========================================================================
   * JCommon : a free general purpose class library for the Java(tm) platform
   * ========================================================================
   *
   * (C) Copyright 2000-2005, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
   * 
   * Project Info:  http://www.jfree.org/jcommon/index.html
   *
   * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it 
   * under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by 
   * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or 
   * (at your option) any later version.
   *
   * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but 
   * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY 
   * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public 
   * License for more details.
   *
   * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
   * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
   * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, 
   * USA.  
   *
   * [Java is a trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. 
   * in the United States and other countries.]
   * 
   * ----------------------
   * ObjectDescription.java
   * ----------------------
   * (C)opyright 2003, 2004, by Thomas Morgner and Contributors.
   *
   * Original Author:  Thomas Morgner;
   * Contributor(s):   David Gilbert (for Object Refinery Limited);
   *
   * $Id: ObjectDescription.java,v 1.3 2005/11/14 11:03:12 mungady Exp $
   *
   * Changes (from 19-Feb-2003)
   * -------------------------
   * 19-Feb-2003 : Added standard header and Javadocs (DG);
   * 29-Apr-2003 : Distilled from the JFreeReport project and moved into JCommon
   *
   */
  
  package org.jfree.xml.factory.objects;
  
  import java.io.Serializable;
  import java.util.Iterator;
  
  import org.jfree.util.Configuration;
  
  /**
   * An interface for object descriptions.
   *
   * @author Thomas Morgner
   */
  public interface ObjectDescription extends Serializable {
  
      /**
       * Returns a parameter definition. If the parameter is invalid, this
       * function returns null.
       *
       * @param name  the definition name.
       *
       * @return The parameter class or null, if the parameter is not defined.
       */
      public Class getParameterDefinition(String name);
  
      /**
       * Sets the value of a parameter.
       *
       * @param name  the parameter name.
       * @param value  the parameter value.
       */
      public void setParameter(String name, Object value);
  
      /**
       * Returns the value of a parameter.
       *
       * @param name  the parameter name.
       *
       * @return The value.
       */
      public Object getParameter(String name);
  
      /**
       * Returns an iterator the provides access to the parameter names. This
       * returns all _known_ parameter names, the object description may accept
       * additional parameters.
       *
       * @return The iterator.
       */
      public Iterator getParameterNames();
  
      /**
       * Returns the object class.
       *
       * @return The Class.
       */
      public Class getObjectClass();
  
      /**
       * Creates an object based on the description.
       *
       * @return The object.
       */
      public Object createObject();
  
      /**
       * Returns a cloned instance of the object description. The contents
       * of the parameter objects collection are cloned too, so that any
       * already defined parameter value is copied to the new instance.
       * <p>
       * Parameter definitions are not cloned, as they are considered read-only.
       * <p>
       * The newly instantiated object description is not configured. If it
       * need to be configured, then you have to call configure on it.
       *
       * @return A cloned instance.
       */
      public ObjectDescription getUnconfiguredInstance();
  
      /**
       * Returns a cloned instance of the object description. The contents
       * of the parameter objects collection are cloned too, so that any
       * already defined parameter value is copied to the new instance.
       * <p>
       * Parameter definitions are not cloned, as they are considered read-only.
       *
       * @return A cloned instance.
       */
      public ObjectDescription getInstance();
  
      /**
       * Sets the parameters of this description object to match the supplied object.
       *
       * @param o  the object.
       *
       * @throws ObjectFactoryException if there is a problem while reading the
       * properties of the given object.
       */
      public void setParameterFromObject(Object o) throws ObjectFactoryException;
  
  
      /**
       * Configures this factory. The configuration contains several keys and
       * their defined values. The given reference to the configuration object
       * will remain valid until the report parsing or writing ends.
       * <p>
       * The configuration contents may change during the reporting.
       *
       * @param config the configuration, never null
       */
      public void configure(Configuration config);
  
      /**
       * Compares whether two object descriptions are equal.
       *
       * @param o the other object.
       * @return true, if both object desciptions describe the same object, false otherwise.
       */
      public boolean equals (Object o);
  
  
      /**
       * Computes the hashCode for this ClassFactory. As equals() must be implemented,
       * a corresponding hashCode() should be implemented as well.
       *
       * @return the hashcode.
       */
      public int hashCode();
  
  }
  