/*

  * Copyright 2009-2010 Steve Chaloner

  *

  * 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 be.objectify.led;

 import be.objectify.led.validation.ValidationFunction;

 /**

  * Object factories are used to convert string property values into objects of an specific type.

  *

  * @author Steve Chaloner

  */

 public interface ObjectFactory<T>

 {

     /**

      * Creates an object based on propertyValue.  If propertyValue is null

      * or no object can be based on it, null should be returned.

      *

      * @param propertyValue the value of the property

      * @return an object (probably) based on propertyValue, or null

      */

     T createObject(String propertyName,

                    String propertyValue);

     /**

      * Gets the class type this factory produces objects for.

      *

      * @return the class type

      */

     Class<T> getBoundClass();

     /**

      * Validations the value for the field.

      *

      * @param propertyName the name of the property

      * @param propertyValue the value from the @{link PropertyContext}

      * @param validationFunctions functions to validate the property value

      * @throws be.objectify.led.validation.ValidationException if the property value isn't valid

      */

     public void validate(String propertyName,

                          String propertyValue,

                          ValidationFunction... validationFunctions);

 }