rms/org.eclipse.ptp.rm.proxy.core/src/org/eclipse/ptp/rm/proxy/core/element/IElement.java

/*******************************************************************************
 * Copyright (c) 2010 Dieter Krachtus and The University of Tennessee,
 * All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
 * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
 * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
 * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
 *
 * Contributors:
 *    Dieter Krachtus (dieter.krachtus@gmail.com) and Roland Schulz - initial API and implementation

 *******************************************************************************/

package org.eclipse.ptp.rm.proxy.core.element;

import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.Map;

/**
 * The Interface IElement.
 * 
 * @author Dieter Krachtus
 * 
 *         Interface every ModelBean has to implement. Establishes identity for
 *         each model object (elementID) and hierarchy (parentElementID,
 *         possibly also childElementID)
 */
public interface IElement {

	/**
	 * The Class UnknownValueExecption.
	 */
	public class UnknownValueExecption extends Exception {

		/** The Constant serialVersionUID. */
		private static final long serialVersionUID = -6387499727989362192L;
	}

	/**
	 * Gets the attribute.
	 * 
	 * @param key
	 *            the key
	 * @return the attribute
	 */
	public String getAttribute(String key);

	public Map<String, String> getAttributes();

	/**
	 * Gets the element id.
	 * 
	 * @return the element id
	 */
	public int getElementID();

	/* Returns value of Unique identifier (attribute value) of this element */
	/**
	 * Gets the key.
	 * 
	 * @return the key
	 */
	public String getKey();

	/* Returns unique identifier of parent element */
	/**
	 * Gets the parent key.
	 * 
	 * @return the parent key
	 */
	public String getParentKey();

	@Override
	public int hashCode();

	/* checks that all required attributes are set */
	/**
	 * Checks if is complete.
	 * 
	 * @return true, if is complete
	 */
	public boolean isComplete();

	/* Set one Attribute */
	/**
	 * Sets the attribute.
	 * 
	 * @param key
	 *            the key
	 * @param value
	 *            the value
	 * @throws UnknownValueExecption
	 *             the unknown value execption
	 */
	public void setAttribute(String key, String value)
			throws UnknownValueExecption;

	public void setAttributes(IElement element);

	/**
	 * Sets the element id.
	 * 
	 * @param elementID
	 *            the new element id
	 */
	public void setElementID(int elementID);

	/* Produces String Array for Protocol */
	/**
	 * To string array.
	 * 
	 * @return the collection
	 */
	public Collection<String> toStringArray();

}