Interface CandyFinder

  • All Superinterfaces:
    java.util.EventListener, java.beans.PropertyChangeListener

    public interface CandyFinder
    extends java.beans.PropertyChangeListener

    This interface is a main entry point to a set of controlled vocabularies.

    The implementation is supposed to behave as a Java bean (usually an invisible bean unless it implements some additional GUI methods which are not defined in this interface).

    Version:
    $Id: CandyFinder.java 2703 2003-06-01 08:42:29Z thomasd $
    Author:
    Martin Senger, Matthew Pocock
    • Field Summary

      Fields 
      Modifier and Type Field Description
      static java.lang.String DEFAULT_FINDER_NAME
      A default name of this (and any) finder.
      static java.lang.String PROP_VOCABULARY
      A property name.
    • Method Summary

      All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods 
      Modifier and Type Method Description
      void connect()
      It creates a connection to an object representing a vocabulary finder, or/and it makes all necessary initialization steps needed for further communication.
      void disconnect()
      It closes connection with the finder object.
      CandyVocabulary[] getAllVocabularies()
      It returns all available vocabularies.
      java.lang.String[] getAllVocabularyNames()
      It returns names of all vocabularies known to this vocabulary finder.
      java.lang.String getFinderName()
      It returns a name of this vocabulary finder.
      int getNumCount()
      It returns the number of available vocabularies.
      CandyVocabulary getVocabularyByName​(java.lang.String name)
      It returns a selected vocabulary.
      boolean isReady()
      It checks if a vocabulary finder object is available.
      • Methods inherited from interface java.beans.PropertyChangeListener

        propertyChange
    • Field Detail

      • DEFAULT_FINDER_NAME

        static final java.lang.String DEFAULT_FINDER_NAME
        A default name of this (and any) finder. It is used when no other name was given by the finder implementation.
        See Also:
        Constant Field Values
      • PROP_VOCABULARY

        static final java.lang.String PROP_VOCABULARY

        A property name.

        Its value is of type CandyVocabulary. It this property is set a given vocabulary becomes part of this finder.

        See Also:
        Constant Field Values
    • Method Detail

      • connect

        void connect()
              throws CandyException

        It creates a connection to an object representing a vocabulary finder, or/and it makes all necessary initialization steps needed for further communication.

        However, there should be no need to call this method explicitly, the other methods should do it automatically before they need to use the finder.

        Throws:
        CandyException - if the connection/initialization cannot be established
      • isReady

        boolean isReady()
        It checks if a vocabulary finder object is available. The semantic of availabledepends on the implementation.
      • disconnect

        void disconnect()
        It closes connection with the finder object. Implementations may choose to use this method for freeing resources.
      • getAllVocabularyNames

        java.lang.String[] getAllVocabularyNames()
                                          throws CandyException

        It returns names of all vocabularies known to this vocabulary finder. Any of the returned names can be later used in the method getVocabularyByName.

        Returns:
        a list of available vocabulary names
        Throws:
        CandyException - if the finder fails to communicate with its vocabularies
      • getVocabularyByName

        CandyVocabulary getVocabularyByName​(java.lang.String name)
                                     throws CandyException
        It returns a selected vocabulary.
        Parameters:
        name - a name of a vocabulary to be returned
        Returns:
        a selected vocabulary
        Throws:
        CandyException - when the vocabulary cannot be found (likely the given name is wrong)
        See Also:
        getAllVocabularyNames()
      • getAllVocabularies

        CandyVocabulary[] getAllVocabularies()
                                      throws CandyException
        It returns all available vocabularies.
        Returns:
        all available vocabularies
        Throws:
        CandyException - if the finder fails to communicate with its vocabularies
      • getNumCount

        int getNumCount()
                 throws CandyException
        It returns the number of available vocabularies.
        Throws:
        CandyException - if the finder fails to communicate with its vocabularies
      • getFinderName

        java.lang.String getFinderName()
                                throws CandyException
        It returns a name of this vocabulary finder.
        Throws:
        CandyException - if the finder fails to return its name