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TypedContainer

Kind of class:	public interface
Package:	com.bourre.collection
Inherits from:	none
Implemented by:	AbstractLocator Grid Queue Set Stack TypedArray
Author:	Cédric Néhémie
Classpath:	com.bourre.collection.TypedContainer
File last modified:	Thursday, 10 January 2008, 15:16:50

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/*
 * Copyright the original author or authors.
 * 
 * Licensed under the MOZILLA PUBLIC LICENSE, Version 1.1 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 * 
 *      http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/MPL-1.1.html
 * 
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */
package com.bourre.collection
{
    /**
     * A <code>TypedContainer</code> allow collections and data structures 
     * to provide runtime type checking over their elements.
     * <p>
     * A typed container does not define how elements are inserted into
     * the container, but provides convenient methods to check type 
     * of these elements and to know if the container is typed and which
     * type the container support.
     * </p><p>
     * By convention, the constructor of an implementation of the 
     * <code>TypedContainer</code> interface will define an optional argument
     * <code>type</code> such <code>type : Class = null</code> which let
     * the user of the class define if the container is typed and which 
     * type the container support.
     * </p><p>
     * When dealing with typed and untyped container, the following rules apply : 
     * <ul>
     * <li>Two typed container, which have the same type, can collaborate each other.</li>
     * <li>Two untyped container can collaborate each other.</li>
     * <li>An untyped container can add, remove, retain or contains any typed container
     * of any type without throwing errors.</li>
     * <li>A typed container will always fail when attempting to add, remove, retain
     * or contains an untyped container.</li>
     * </ul>
     * </p> 
     * @author    C√©dric N√©h√©mie
     * @see        Queue
     * @see        Set
     * @see        Stack
     */
    public interface TypedContainer
    {
        /**
         * Verify that the passed-in object type match the current 
         * container element's type. 
         * 
         * @return  <code>true</code> if the object is elligible for this
         *             container, either <code>false</code>.
         */
        function matchType ( o : * ) : Boolean;
        
        /**
         * Return the class type of elements in this container.
         * <p>
         * An untyped container returns <code>null</code>, as the
         * wildcard type (<code>*</code>) is not a <code>Class</code>
         * and <code>Object</code> class doesn't fit for primitive types.
         * </p>
         * @return <code>Class</code> type of the container's elements
         */
        function getType () : Class;
        
        /**
         * Returns <code>true</code> if this container perform a verification
         * of the type of elements.
         * 
         * @return  <code>true</code> if this container perform a verification
         *             of the type of elements.
         */
        function isTyped () : Boolean;
    }
}

A TypedContainer allow collections and data structures
to provide runtime type checking over their elements.

A typed container does not define how elements are inserted into
the container, but provides convenient methods to check type
of these elements and to know if the container is typed and which
type the container support.

By convention, the constructor of an implementation of the

TypedContainer interface will define an optional argument

type such type : Class = null which let
the user of the class define if the container is typed and which
type the container support.

When dealing with typed and untyped container, the following rules apply :

Two typed container, which have the same type, can collaborate each other.
Two untyped container can collaborate each other.
An untyped container can add, remove, retain or contains any typed container
of any type without throwing errors.
A typed container will always fail when attempting to add, remove, retain
or contains an untyped container.

Summary

Instance methods

matchType (o:*) : Boolean
- Verify that the passed-in object type match the current
getType : Class
- Return the class type of elements in this container.
isTyped : Boolean
- Returns true if this container perform a verification

Instance methods

getType

public function getType (

) : Class

Return the class type of elements in this container.

An untyped container returns null, as the
wildcard type (*) is not a Classand Object class doesn't fit for primitive types.

Returns:

Class type of the container's elements

isTyped

public function isTyped (

) : Boolean

Returns true if this container perform a verification
of the type of elements.

Returns:

true if this container perform a verification
of the type of elements.

matchType

public function matchType (

o:*) : Boolean

Verify that the passed-in object type match the current
container element's type.

Returns:

true if the object is elligible for this
container, either false.