Formatter.java

/*
 * Copyright 2001-2008 Geert Bevin <gbevin[remove] at uwyn dot com>
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License")
 * $Id: Formatter.java 3918 2008-04-14 17:35:35Z gbevin $
 */
package com.uwyn.rife.cmf.format;

import com.uwyn.rife.cmf.Content;
import com.uwyn.rife.cmf.format.exceptions.FormatException;
import com.uwyn.rife.cmf.transform.ContentTransformer;

/**
 * Formats raw data according to the information that's provided by a {@link
 * com.uwyn.rife.cmf.Content Content} instance. The raw data will be
 * loaded, optionally transformed and eventually returned.
 * 
 * @author Geert Bevin (gbevin[remove] at uwyn dot com)
 * @version $Revision: 3918 $
 * @since 1.0
 */
public interface Formatter<DataType, InternalType>
{
	/**
	 * Formats raw data and returns it in a <code>DataType</code> that's
	 * supported by the back-end stores.
	 * 
	 * @param content a <code>Content</code> instance that contains the raw
	 * data with additional information that describes the storage and
	 * formatting of the processed data
	 * @param transformer a transformer that will be used to modify raw data
	 * after it has been loaded; or
	 * <p><code>null</code> if the data shouldn't be transformed
	 * @return the result of the formatting of the raw data
	 * @since 1.0
	 */
	public DataType format(Content content, ContentTransformer<InternalType> transformer) throws FormatException;
}