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:
    $Id$
    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
    • 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