/*

  * 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 java.lang.reflect.Field;

 /**

  * Implementors create {@link ObjectFactory} instances that require runtime information.

  * 

  * @author Steve Chaloner

  * @version <!-- $Revision$ -->, <!-- $Date$ -->

  */

 public interface TypeFactory<T>

 {

     /**

      * Creates a new instance of the target class with the correct runtime types.

      *

      * @param classes the generic parameter types

      * @param field the target field

      * @return a new instance of the target class

      */

     ObjectFactory<T> createObjectFactory(Class[] classes,

                                          Field field);

     /**

      * Get the class type handled by this factory.

      *

      * @return the class

      */

     Class<T> getBoundClass();

     /**

      * Determines the runtime generic parameter of the target class.

      *

      * @param fieldType the class type of the field

      * @param genericTypes the generic types declared for the field

      * @return the runtime generic values

      */

     Class[] determineClassType(Class fieldType,

                                GenericTypes genericTypes);

 }