Package net.ssehub.easy.instantiation.core.model.artifactModel

Interface IArtifactCreator

All Known Implementing Classes:

DefaultFileArtifactCreator, DefaultFolderArtifactCreator, DefaultJavaFileArtifactCreator, DefaultXmlFileArtifactCreator, VtlFileArtifactCreator

public interface IArtifactCreator

Describes creator instances which know how to translate real world objects into artifact instances. Implementations must fulfill the following contract:

• handlesArtifact(Class, Object) is called to figure out whether a creator is able to handle a certain artifact under given class-based restrictions. Typically, more specific creators are asked later than more generic ones, but more specific creators (according to inheritance relationships) are considered first for creation. An implementation which answers true must be able to create the queried artifact.
• createArtifactInstance(Object, ArtifactModel) actually creates an instance for the previously queried object. However, no information shall be stored nor there is a guarantee that createArtifactInstance(Object, ArtifactModel) will be called (dependent on the other registered creators). As stated above, if handlesArtifact(Class, Object) answers with true, createArtifactInstance(Object, ArtifactModel) must be able to perform the creation for the given object.

Author:

Holger Eichelberger

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field	Description
static java.lang.String	DEFAULT_PATTERN	A pseudo token denoting the implemented configuration (value "*").

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
void	configure(java.util.Properties properties, java.util.List<Message> messages)	Configures its own reaction according to a set of properties.
IArtifact	createArtifactInstance(java.lang.Object real, ArtifactModel model)	Returns the artifact instance for real.
java.lang.Class<? extends IArtifact>	getArtifactClass()	The class of the artifact being created.
boolean	handlesArtifact(java.lang.Class<? extends IArtifact> kind, java.lang.Object real)	Returns whether this creator handles this type of artifact.

Field Detail

DEFAULT_PATTERN

static final java.lang.String DEFAULT_PATTERN

A pseudo token denoting the implemented configuration (value "*").

See Also:

Constant Field Values

Method Detail

handlesArtifact

boolean handlesArtifact(java.lang.Class<? extends IArtifact> kind,
                        java.lang.Object real)

Returns whether this creator handles this type of artifact.

Parameters:

kind - the kind of artifact in terms of a class (typically the top-level interfaces)

real - the real world object

Returns:

true if it can handle the artifact, false else

createArtifactInstance

IArtifact createArtifactInstance(java.lang.Object real,
                                 ArtifactModel model)
                          throws VilException

Returns the artifact instance for real.

Parameters:

real - the real world object

model - the artifact model to create the artifact within

Returns:

the instance or null if real cannot be handled

Throws:

VilException - in case that any instance creation problem occurs

configure

void configure(java.util.Properties properties,
               java.util.List<Message> messages)

Configures its own reaction according to a set of properties. Each artifact creator may look for a property with its own single name and read a comma separated list of regular file path patterns for its configuration. If empty, the artifact creator shall be disabled. If DEFAULT_PATTERN is contained, then the default implementation shall be called, otherwise only the configured entries shall be considered. A creator shall not modify the given properties (exceptions may apply).

Parameters:

properties - the properties to configure on

messages - configuration messages (to be modified as a side effect)

getArtifactClass

java.lang.Class<? extends IArtifact> getArtifactClass()

The class of the artifact being created. Do not override this method for an existing creator if you plan to just replace an existing artifact! In that case subclass the respective creator and override only createArtifactInstance(Object, ArtifactModel).

Returns:

the class of the artifact being created