/*
* GeoTools - The Open Source Java GIS Toolkit
* http://geotools.org
*
* (C) 2011, Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo)
* (C) 2004-2007 Open Geospatial Consortium Inc.
*
* All Rights Reserved. http://www.opengis.org/legal/
*/
package org.opengis.feature.type;
import org.opengis.referencing.crs.CoordinateReferenceSystem;
/**
* The type of a Feature.
* <p>
* Beyond a complex type, a feature defines some additional information:
* <ul>
* <li>The default geometric attribute
* <li>The coordinate referencing system (derived from the default geometry)
* </ul>
* </p>
*
* @author Jody Garnett, Refractions Research
* @author Justin Deoliveira, The Open Planning Project
*
* @source $URL: http://svn.osgeo.org/geotools/trunk/modules/library/opengis/src/main/java/org/opengis/feature/type/FeatureType.java $
*/
public interface FeatureType extends ComplexType {
/**
* Features are always identified.
*
* @return <code>true</code>
*/
boolean isIdentified();
/**
* Describe the default geometric attribute for this feature.
* <p>
* This method returns <code>null</code> in the case where no such attribute
* exists.
* </p>
* @return The descriptor of the default geometry attribute, or <code>null</code>.
*/
GeometryDescriptor getGeometryDescriptor();
/**
* The coordinate reference system of the feature.
* <p>
* This value is derived from the default geometry attribute:
* <pre>
* ((GeometryType)getDefaultGeometry().getType()).getCRS();
* </pre>
* </p>
* <p>
* This method will return <code>null</code> in the case where no default
* geometric attribute is defined.
* </p>
* @return The coordinate referencing system, or <code>null</code>.
*/
CoordinateReferenceSystem getCoordinateReferenceSystem();
}