com.jgoodies.binding.value.BindingConverter Maven / Gradle / Ivy
/*
* Copyright (c) 2012 JGoodies Karsten Lentzsch. All Rights Reserved.
*
* This software is the proprietary information of JGoodies Karsten Lentzsch.
* Use is subject to license terms.
*
*/
package com.jgoodies.binding.value;
import java.text.Format;
/**
* Describes an object that converts values from a binding target
* to a binding source and vice versa.
*
* Used by the binder mechanism to introduce a conversion in the binding chain
* from source to target. Often the binding source is a bean property
* that has been turned into a ValueModel. The binding target is typically
* a user interface component, e.g. combo box or text field.
*
* Example:
* binder.bindBeanProperty("price").converted(currencyConverter).to(priceField);
*
*
* This conversion is similar to the String conversion of the Format class,
* where {@link Format#format(Object)} equates to {@link #targetValue(Object)},
* and {@link Format#parseObject(String)} to {@link #sourceValue(Object)}.
*
* Binding converters should be used judiciously; they can be limited
* w.r.t. to localized formatting conventions. When binding non-String values
* to a text UI component, consider using a {@link javax.swing.JFormattedTextField}.
* Formatted text fields provide a powerful means to convert strings to objects
* and handle many cases that arise around invalid input.
*
* @author Karsten Lentzsch
* @version $Revision: 1.4 $
*
* @since 2.7
*/
public interface BindingConverter {
/**
* Returns the converted source value for use by the binding target.
*
* Equates to {@link Format#format(Object)} if the target
* accepts and provides Strings.
*
* @param sourceValue
* @return the converted value
*/
Object targetValue(Object sourceValue);
/**
* Returns the converted target value for use by the binding source.
*
* Equates to {@link Format#parseObject(String)} if the target
* accepts and provides Strings.
*
* @param sourceValue
* @return the converted value
*/
Object sourceValue(Object targetValue);
}