org.jfree.base.modules
Interface Module

All Superinterfaces:

ModuleInfo

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractModule

public interface Module

extends ModuleInfo

A module encapsulates optional functionality within a project. Modules can be used as an easy way to make projects more configurable.

The module system provides a controled way to check dependencies and to initialize the modules in a controlled way.

Author:

Thomas Morgner

Method Summary

void	configure(SubSystem subSystem) Configures the module.
java.lang.String	getDescription() Returns a short description of the modules functionality.
java.lang.String	getName() Returns the module name.
ModuleInfo[]	getOptionalModules() Returns an array of optional modules.
java.lang.String	getProducer() Returns the name of the module producer.
ModuleInfo[]	getRequiredModules() Returns an array of all required modules.
java.lang.String	getSubSystem() Returns the modules subsystem.
void	initialize(SubSystem subSystem) Initializes the module.

Methods inherited from interface org.jfree.base.modules.ModuleInfo

getMajorVersion, getMinorVersion, getModuleClass, getPatchLevel

Method Detail

getRequiredModules

public ModuleInfo[] getRequiredModules()

Returns an array of all required modules. If one of these modules is missing or cannot be initialized, the module itself will be not available.

Returns:

an array of the required modules.

getOptionalModules

public ModuleInfo[] getOptionalModules()

Returns an array of optional modules. Missing or invalid modules are non fatal and will not harm the module itself.

Returns:

an array of optional module specifications.

initialize

public void initialize(SubSystem subSystem)
                throws ModuleInitializeException

Initializes the module. Use this method to perform all initial setup operations. This method is called only once in a modules lifetime. If the initializing cannot be completed, throw a ModuleInitializeException to indicate the error,. The module will not be available to the system.

Parameters:

subSystem - the subSystem.

Throws:

ModuleInitializeException - if an error ocurred while initializing the module.

configure

public void configure(SubSystem subSystem)

Configures the module. This should load the default settings of the module.

Parameters:

subSystem - the subSystem.

getDescription

public java.lang.String getDescription()

Returns a short description of the modules functionality.

Returns:

a module description.

getProducer

public java.lang.String getProducer()

Returns the name of the module producer.

Returns:

the producer name

getName

public java.lang.String getName()

Returns the module name. This name should be a short descriptive handle of the module.

Returns:

the module name

getSubSystem

public java.lang.String getSubSystem()

Returns the modules subsystem. If this module is not part of an subsystem then return the modules name, but never null.

Returns:

the name of the subsystem.