1 /*
2 * Copyright (c) 2005, Henri Yandell
3 * All rights reserved.
4 *
5 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or
6 * without modification, are permitted provided that the
7 * following conditions are met:
8 *
9 * + Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
10 * this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
11 *
12 * + Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
13 * this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
14 * and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
15 *
16 * + Neither the name of Simple-JNDI nor the names of its contributors
17 * may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
18 * without specific prior written permission.
19 *
20 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
21 * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
22 * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
23 * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
24 * LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
25 * CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
26 * SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
27 * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
28 * CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
29 * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
30 * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
31 */
32
33 package org.osjava.sj.loader.convert;
34
35 import java.util.Properties;
36
37 public interface Converter {
38
39 /***
40 * <p>Turn a String-based tree-structure into an Object. Additionally
41 * the type of object desired is known. This is usually a Java
42 * class, but this is not mandatory. </p>
43 *
44 * <p>The properties structure is located at the point of the
45 * lookup key, so if the code asked for a com.example.Foo object,
46 * the properties structure would be everything below Foo.</p>
47 *
48 * <p>To get at the value of com.example.Foo itself, request the
49 * empty string, "".</p>
50 *
51 * <p>TODO: No way for a converter to know the delimiter-type. </p>
52 *
53 * @param properties a Properties data structure
54 * @param type a String representation of object desired
55 */
56 Object convert(Properties properties, String type);
57
58 }