PodamCollection.java

/**
 * 
 */
package uk.co.jemos.podam.common;

import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

import uk.co.jemos.podam.api.ObjectStrategy;

/**
 * Annotation used to customise collection-type elements
 * 
 * <p>
 * Please note that this annotation can be used with all types of container
 * elements, including arrays.
 * </p>
 * 
 * <p>
 * The minimum number of elements is
 * {@link PodamConstants#DEFAULT_NBR_COLLECTION_ELEMENTS}
 * </p>
 * 
 * @author mtedone
 * 
 */
@Documented
@PodamAnnotation
@Target(value = { ElementType.FIELD, ElementType.PARAMETER })
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
public @interface PodamCollection {

	/** The number of elements to create for the collection
	 *
	 * @return number of elements to place into collection
	 */
	int nbrElements() default PodamConstants.DEFAULT_NBR_COLLECTION_ELEMENTS;

	/**
	 * The strategy that will populate the annotated attribute.
	 * <p>
	 * The default, in order to make the strategy actually <i>optional</i> is
	 * type Object. At runtime, only if both the value of this annotation and
	 * the collection element type are Objects, then the collection will be set
	 * with type {@link Object}, otherwise the collection element type will win.
	 * </p>
	 * 
	 * @return The strategy that will populate the annotated attribute
	 */
	Class<? extends AttributeStrategy<?>> collectionElementStrategy() default ObjectStrategy.class;

	/**
	 * The strategy that will populate a map key on an attribute of type Map.
	 * <p>
	 * The default, in order to make the strategy actually <i>optional</i> is
	 * type Object. At runtime, only if both the value of this annotation and
	 * the collection element type are Objects, then the collection will be set
	 * with type {@link Object}, otherwise the collection element type will win.
	 * </p>
	 * 
	 * @return The strategy that will populate a map key on an attribute of type
	 *         Map.
	 */
	Class<? extends AttributeStrategy<?>> mapKeyStrategy() default ObjectStrategy.class;

	/**
	 * The strategy that will populate a map element on an attribute of type
	 * Map.
	 * <p>
	 * The default, in order to make the strategy actually <i>optional</i> is
	 * type Object. At runtime, only if both the value of this annotation and
	 * the collection element type are Objects, then the collection will be set
	 * with type {@link Object}, otherwise the collection element type will win.
	 * </p>
	 * 
	 * @return The strategy that will populate a map element on an attribute of
	 *         type Map.
	 */
	Class<? extends AttributeStrategy<?>> mapElementStrategy() default ObjectStrategy.class;

	/** It allows clients to specify a comment on this annotation
	 *
	 * @return comment value
	 */
	String comment() default "";

}