// $Id: PropPanelFactory.java 41 2010-04-03 20:04:12Z marcusvnac $ // Copyright (c) 2008 The Regents of the University of California. All // Rights Reserved. Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this // software and its documentation without fee, and without a written // agreement is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice // and this paragraph appear in all copies. This software program and // documentation are copyrighted by The Regents of the University of // California. The software program and documentation are supplied "AS // IS", without any accompanying services from The Regents. The Regents // does not warrant that the operation of the program will be // uninterrupted or error-free. The end-user understands that the program // was developed for research purposes and is advised not to rely // exclusively on the program for any reason. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE // UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, // SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, // ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF // THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF // SUCH DAMAGE. THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY // WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF // MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE // PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF // CALIFORNIA HAS NO OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, // UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS. package org.argouml.uml.ui; /** * Interface for a factory of proppanels, * which are created based on a given object. * * @author Michiel */ public interface PropPanelFactory { /** * This method shall test the type of the given object, * and if recognised, create a new instance of a PropPanel. <p> * * If the object type is not something this factory * knows how to deal with, then null shall be returned * (do NOT throw an exception). <p> * * If the given object falls within a class of objects * that this factory is the exclusive factory for, * then it is allowed to throw an exception if * the object is invalid/unknown. However, * be careful not to break the possibility to extend ArgoUML. * * @param object the object to create a new PropPanel for * @return the new proppanel or null */ PropPanel createPropPanel(Object object); }