Dave Jarvis' Repositories

/*
 * Copyright 2020 White Magic Software, Ltd.
 *
 * All rights reserved.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
 *
 *  o Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 *
 *  o Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
 *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
 * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
 * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
 * A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
 * HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
 * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
 * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
 * DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
 * THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
 * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 */
package com.scrivenvar.definition;

/**
 * Represents behaviours for reading and writing string definitions. This
 * class cannot have any direct hooks into the user interface, as it defines
 * entry points into the definition data model loaded into an object
 * hierarchy. That hierarchy is converted to a UI model using an adapter
 * pattern.
 */
public interface DefinitionSource {

  /**
   * Creates an object capable of producing view-based objects from this
   * definition source.
   *
   * @return A hierarchical tree suitable for displaying in the definition pane.
   */
  TreeAdapter getTreeAdapter();

  /**
   * Returns the error message, if any, that occurred while loading the
   * definition source.
   *
   * @return The empty string if no error occurred, otherwise the error message.
   */
  default String getError() {
    return "";
  }
}