Converter

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org.cantaloop.tools.conversion
Interface Converter

All Known Implementing Classes:: AbstractConverter, IdenticalConverter, UnmodifiableConverter

public interface Converter

Classes implementing this interface convert certain input objects to objects representing the same value (regarding certain aspects) but are instances of a different class.
Converters that can or have to be configured may provide set methods for these configuration parameters. In any case the converter needs a zero argument constructor.

For example a Converter could convert a String with the value 2001.12.11 to a object of type java.util.Date that represents this date.

Version:: @version@ ($Revision: 1.3 $)

Method Summary

java.lang.Object convert(java.lang.Object o, java.lang.Class type)
          Converts the input object to the desired output type as long as the input object is an instance of one of the classes in the getInputtypes and the output type or a subtype is contained in getOutputTypes.
If the desired output type is a supertype of more than one of the output types, one of these subtype will be chosen (the choice may be random).

java.util.Set getInputTypes()
          Returns a set containing the classes that are supported as input types.

java.util.Set getOutputTypes()
          Returns a set containing the classes that are supported as output types.

Method Detail

getInputTypes

public java.util.Set getInputTypes()

Returns a set containing the classes that are supported as input types. Subtypes of these base classes have to be supported, too.

Example:
If the set contains java.util.List.class, any class that implements java.util.List must be supported.

Note:null is never a valid input type.

getOutputTypes

public java.util.Set getOutputTypes()

Returns a set containing the classes that are supported as output types. It must be possible to convert each of the input types 55 to each of the output types.

convert

public java.lang.Object convert(java.lang.Object o,
                                java.lang.Class type)
                         throws ConversionException

Converts the input object to the desired output type as long as the input object is an instance of one of the classes in the getInputtypes and the output type or a subtype is contained in getOutputTypes.
If the desired output type is a supertype of more than one of the output types, one of these subtype will be chosen (the choice may be random).