/*
 * $Id$
 * This file is a part of the Arakhne Foundation Classes, http://www.arakhne.org/afc
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2000-2012 Stephane GALLAND.
 * Copyright (c) 2005-10, Multiagent Team, Laboratoire Systemes et Transports,
 *                        Universite de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard.
 * Copyright (c) 2013-2016 The original authors, and other authors.
 *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */

package org.arakhne.afc.attrs.attr;

import java.util.Comparator;

import org.eclipse.xtext.xbase.lib.Pure;


/**
 * This interface contains a metadata with a name.
 *
 * @author $Author: sgalland$
 * @version $FullVersion$
 * @mavengroupid $GroupId$
 * @mavenartifactid $ArtifactId$
 */
public interface Attribute extends AttributeValue {

	/**
	 * Replies a comparator suitable for attribute based on the names
	 * of the attributes only.
	 *
	 * @return a comparator, never <code>null</code>
	 * @see #valueComparator()
	 * @see #comparator()
	 */
	@Pure
	Comparator<? extends Attribute> nameComparator();

	/**
	 * Replies a comparator suitable for attribute based on the names
	 * of the attributes only.
	 *
	 * @return a comparator, never <code>null</code>
	 * @see #nameComparator()
	 * @see #valueComparator()
	 */
	@Pure
	Comparator<? extends Attribute> comparator();

	/** The this value with the content of the specified one.
	 *
	 * @param value the value.
	 * @throws InvalidAttributeTypeException when the type is incompatible.
	 */
	void setAttribute(Attribute value) throws InvalidAttributeTypeException;

	/**
	 * Replies the name of the metadata.
	 *
	 * @return the name of the attribute.
	 */
	@Pure
	String getName();

	/**
	 * Set the name of this metadata.
	 *
	 * @param name the name of the attribute.
	 */
	void setName(String name);

}