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/*
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 * Copyright © 2013-2015 Meno Hochschild, 
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 * This file (TimeMetric.java) is part of project Time4J.
 *
 * Time4J is free software: You can redistribute it and/or modify it
 * under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
 * by the Free Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or
 * (at your option) any later version.
 *
 * Time4J is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
 * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 * along with Time4J. If not, see .
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 */

package net.time4j.engine;


/**
 * Computes temporal distances on a time axis as time spans. 
 *
 * @param    generic type of time unit
 * @param    generic type of duration type
 * @author  Meno Hochschild
 */
/*[deutsch]
 * 
Berechnet Abstände auf einer Zeitachse als Zeitspannen. 
 *
 * @param    generic type of time unit
 * @param    generic type of duration type
 * @author  Meno Hochschild
 */
public interface TimeMetric {

    //~ Methoden ----------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * 
Computes the temporal distance between two time points. 
     *
     * Important note: This method might not work in Java 6 under some circumstances.
     * In case of any problem users can use the equivalent method {@code until()} defined in the class
     * {@code TimePoint}. 
     *
     * @param    generic type of time point
     * @param   start   first time point
     * @param   end     second time point
     * @return  calculated time span between given time points, will be
     *          negative if {@code start} is after {@code end}
     * @see     TimePoint#until(TimePoint, TimeMetric)
     */
    /*[deutsch]
     * Berechnet den zeitlichen Abstand zwischen zwei Zeitpunkten. 
     *
     * Wichtiger Hinweis: Diese Methode mag in Java 6 unter bestimmten Umständen nicht
     * funktionieren. Ist das der Fall, können Anwender auf die äquivalente Methode
     * {@code until()} definiert in der Klasse {@code TimePoint} ausweichen. 
     *
     * @param    generic type of time point
     * @param   start   first time point
     * @param   end     second time point
     * @return  calculated time span between given time points, will be
     *          negative if {@code start} is after {@code end}
     * @see     TimePoint#until(TimePoint, TimeMetric)
     */
    > P between(
        T start,
        T end
    );

}