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/*
 * Copyright 2007 Daniel Spiewak
 * 
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); 
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. 
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 * 
 *	    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 
 * 
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software 
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. 
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */
package net.java.ao.schema;

import net.java.ao.EntityManager;
import net.java.ao.RawEntity;

/**
 * Superinterface to all table name converters; designed to impose conventions
 * upon the auto-conversion of class names to database tables.  The idea
 * behind this is to allow user-specified table name conventions and standards
 * rather than always enforcing ActiveObjects's idea of "good naming".
 * 
 * 
Every {@link EntityManager} contains a single table name converter which
 * the entire library uses when performing operations.  Any third-party code which
 * interacts with tables directly should make use of this faculty.  By using
 * the table name converter even in ORM-external operations, the developers can
 * control table names in a single location and ensure that the conventions
 * need only be maintained in one spot.
 *
 * @author Daniel Spiewak
 */
public interface TableNameConverter {
    /**
     * Generates a table name to correspond with the specified class. The
     * algorithm used must check for the existance of the {@link Table}
     * annotation and use the appropriate override when necessary.  If this
     * check is not made, ActiveObjects will continue to function normally,
     * but any code assuming the proper imlementation of @Table
     * will likely fail.
     *
     * @param clazz The entity type for which a corresponding field name must be
     *              generated.
     * @return A database table name which corresponds to the given entity type.
     */
    public String getName(Class> clazz);
}