/*
 *    GeoTools - The Open Source Java GIS Toolkit
 *    http://geotools.org
 *
 *    (C) 2011, Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo)
 *    (C) 2005 Open Geospatial Consortium Inc.
 *    
 *    All Rights Reserved. http://www.opengis.org/legal/
 */
package org.opengis.coverage.grid;

import org.opengis.parameter.ParameterValueGroup;
import org.opengis.annotation.UML;

import static org.opengis.annotation.Obligation.*;
import static org.opengis.annotation.Specification.*;


/**
 * A discovery mechanism to determine the formats supported by a {@link GridCoverageExchange}
 * implementation. A {@code GridCoverageExchange} implementation can support a number of
 * file format or resources.
 *
 *
 *
 * @source $URL: http://svn.osgeo.org/geotools/trunk/modules/library/opengis/src/main/java/org/opengis/coverage/grid/Format.java $
 * @version <A HREF="http://www.opengis.org/docs/01-004.pdf">Grid Coverage specification 1.0</A>
 * @author  Martin Desruisseaux (IRD)
 * @since   GeoAPI 2.0
 *
 */
@UML(identifier="CV_Format", specification=OGC_01004)
public interface Format {
    /**
     * Name of the file format.
     */
    @UML(identifier="name", obligation=MANDATORY, specification=OGC_01004)
    String getName();

    /**
     * Description of the file format.
     * If no description, the value will be {@code null}.
     */
    @UML(identifier="description", obligation=OPTIONAL, specification=OGC_01004)
    String getDescription();

    /**
     * Vendor or agency for the format.
     */
    @UML(identifier="vendor", obligation=OPTIONAL, specification=OGC_01004)
    String getVendor();

    /**
     * Documentation URL for the format.
     */
    @UML(identifier="docURL", obligation=OPTIONAL, specification=OGC_01004)
    String getDocURL();

    /**
     * Version number of the format.
     */
    @UML(identifier="version", obligation=OPTIONAL, specification=OGC_01004)
    String getVersion();

    /**
     * Retrieve the parameter information for a {@link GridCoverageReader#read read} operation.
     */
    @UML(identifier="getParameterInfo, numParameters", obligation=MANDATORY, specification=OGC_01004)
    ParameterValueGroup getReadParameters();

    /**
     * Retrieve the parameter information for a {@link GridCoverageWriter#write write} operation.
     */
    @UML(identifier="getParameterInfo, numParameters", obligation=MANDATORY, specification=OGC_01004)
    ParameterValueGroup getWriteParameters();
}