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/*
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 * Copyright © 2013-2014 Meno Hochschild, 
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 * This file (FormattableElement.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;

import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;


/**
 * This {@code Annotation} can be used to document all chronological
 * elements which allow formatted representations. 
 *
 * Usage note: Usually only element constants with the modifiers
 * static und final are target of this {@code Annotation}.
 * The target type {@code ElementType.METHOD} is only permitted if
 * elements are generated in a {@code ChronoExtension}. 
 *
 * @author  Meno Hochschild
 * @see     ChronoElement
 * @see     ChronoExtension
 */
/*[deutsch]
 * Mit dieser {@code Annotation} können alle chronologischen Elemente
 * dokumentiert werden, die formatierte Darstellungen erlauben. 
 *
 * Verwendungshinweis: Ziel der {@code Annotation} sind normalerweise
 * nur Elementkonstanten mit den Modifiern static und final.
 * Der Zieltyp {@code ElementType.METHOD} ist lediglich dann erlaubt, wenn
 * Elemente in einer {@code ChronoExtension} generiert werden. 
 *
 * @author  Meno Hochschild
 * @see     ChronoElement
 * @see     ChronoExtension
 */
@Documented
@Target({ElementType.FIELD, ElementType.METHOD})
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
public @interface FormattableElement {

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

    /**
     * Returns the associated format pattern symbol in the standard
     * format context. 
     *
     * Format pattern symbols should be unique among all registered
     * elements of a given chronology. In standard elements they correspond
     * to the format symbols defined by unicode organization in CLDR. The
     * symbol is case-sensitive. 
     *
     * The default value of an empty string means that the associated
     * element is not primarily designed for formatting via a pattern
     * expression. 
     *
     * @return  char
     * @see     net.time4j.format.OutputContext#FORMAT
     */
    /*[deutsch]
     * Liefert das zugehörige Formatmusterzeichen im normalen
     * Formatkontext. 
     *
     * Formatmusterzeichen sollten unter allen registrierten Elementen
     * einer gegebenen Chronologie eindeutig sein. In Standardelementen
     * entsprechen sie den in der vom Unicode-Konsortium definierten
     * CLDR-Syntax festgelegten Formatsymbolen. Es wird zwischen Groß-
     * und Kleinschreibung unterschieden. 
     *
     * Der Standardwert einer leeren Zeichenkette bedeutet hier, daß
     * kein Zeichen in einem Formatmuster vorgesehen ist. 
     *
     * @return  char
     * @see     net.time4j.format.OutputContext#FORMAT
     */
    String format() default "";

    /**
     * Returns the associated format pattern symbol in the stand-alone
     * context. 
     *
     * Almost equivalent to {@code format()} with the difference that
     * the element shall be formatted in a stand-alone context (for example
     * nominative form "x January" instead of the ordinal form
     * "x-th January"). However, the stand-alone context is not
     * relevant for English - as "January" is still the same word,
     * only relevant for some languages which make an explicit grammar
     * difference. 
     *
     * The default value of an empty string just means that the
     * stand-alone context should use the same value as in the format
     * context. 
     *
     * @return  char
     * @see     net.time4j.format.OutputContext#STANDALONE
     */
    /*[deutsch]
     * Liefert das zugehörige Formatmusterzeichen für die
     * Verwendung in alleinstehendem Kontext. 
     *
     * Entspricht weitgehend {@code format()} mit dem Unterschied,
     * daß hier das Element in einem alleinstehenden Kontext
     * formatiert werden soll (zum Beispiel nominativ "x Januar"
     * statt der Ordinalform "x-ter Januar"). 
     *
     * Der Standardwert einer leeren Zeichenkette bedeutet nur, daß
     * der gleiche Wert wie im normalen Formatkontext gelten soll. 
     *
     * @return  char
     * @see     net.time4j.format.OutputContext#STANDALONE
     */
    String standalone() default "";

}