oracle.toplink.essentials.mappings.converters.Converter Maven / Gradle / Ivy
/*
* The contents of this file are subject to the terms
* of the Common Development and Distribution License
* (the "License"). You may not use this file except
* in compliance with the License.
*
* You can obtain a copy of the license at
* glassfish/bootstrap/legal/CDDLv1.0.txt or
* https://glassfish.dev.java.net/public/CDDLv1.0.html.
* See the License for the specific language governing
* permissions and limitations under the License.
*
* When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL
* HEADER in each file and include the License file at
* glassfish/bootstrap/legal/CDDLv1.0.txt. If applicable,
* add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the
* fields enclosed by brackets "[]" replaced with your
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// Copyright (c) 1998, 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.
package oracle.toplink.essentials.mappings.converters;
import java.io.Serializable;
import oracle.toplink.essentials.mappings.*;
import oracle.toplink.essentials.sessions.Session;
/**
* Purpose: Conversion interface to allow conversion between object and data types.
* This can be used in any mapping to convert between the object and data types without requiring code
* placed in the object model.
* TopLink provides several common converters, but the application can also define it own.
*
* @see DirectToFieldMapping#setConverter(Converter)
* @see DirectCollectionMapping#setConverter(Converter)
* @see ObjectTypeConverter
* @see TypeConversionConverter
* @see SerializedObjectConverter
*
* @author James Sutherland
* @since OracleAS TopLink 10g (10.0.3)
*/
public interface Converter extends Serializable {
/**
* PUBLIC:
* Convert the object's representation of the value to the databases' data representation.
* For example this could convert between a Calendar Java type and the sql.Time datatype.
*/
Object convertObjectValueToDataValue(Object objectValue, Session session);
/**
* PUBLIC:
* Convert the databases' data representation of the value to the object's representation.
* For example this could convert between an sql.Time datatype and the Java Calendar type.
*/
Object convertDataValueToObjectValue(Object dataValue, Session session);
/**
* PUBLIC:
* If the converter converts the value to a mutable value, i.e.
* a value that can have its' parts changed without being replaced,
* then it must return true. If the value is not mutable, cannot be changed without
* replacing the whole value then false must be returned.
* This is used within the UnitOfWork to determine how to clone.
*/
public boolean isMutable();
/**
* PUBLIC:
* Allow for any initialization.
*/
void initialize(DatabaseMapping mapping, Session session);
}