package org.naftulin.configmgr.parsers;

 import java.io.Serializable;

 import java.util.List;

 import org.naftulin.configmgr.ConfigurationManagerException;

 import org.naftulin.configmgr.content.NameValuePairImpl;

 /**

  * Interface that enables to brige an external configuration to be used with configuration managment engine.

  * To create an external record you need to creating a custom bridge class between the 

  * externaly managed configuration and configuration manager. 

  * 

  * @author Henry Naftulin

  * @since 1.0

  *

  */

 public interface ExternalRecordAdapter extends Serializable {

         /**

          * Returns an object to be stored in configuration manager entry. Is called

          * to load the configuration for the first time.

          * @param args list of name value pairs {@link org.naftulin.configmgr.content.NameValuePairImpl} read from master configuration file

          * @return an object to be stored in configuration manager entry

          * @throws ConfigurationManagerException

          */

         public Object load(List<NameValuePairImpl> args) throws ConfigurationManagerException;

         /**

          * Returns an object to be stored in configuration manager entry. Is called

          * to re-load the configuration after the configuration has been loaded.

          * @param args list of name value pairs {@link org.naftulin.configmgr.content.NameValuePairImpl} read from master configuration file

          * @return an object to be stored in configuration manager entry

          * @throws ConfigurationManagerException

          */

         public Object reload(List<NameValuePairImpl> args) throws ConfigurationManagerException;

         /**

          * Returns information about the external configuration, such as file from which

          * the configuration is read.

          * @param args list of name value pairs {@link org.naftulin.configmgr.content.NameValuePairImpl} read from master configuration file

          * @return information about the external configuration

          */

         public String getInfo(List<NameValuePairImpl> args);

 }