Consumer.java

/*
 * Copyright (c) OSGi Alliance (2002, 2015). All Rights Reserved.
 *
 * 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.osgi.service.wireadmin;

/**
 * Data Consumer, a service that can receive updated values from
 * {@link Producer} services.
 * 
 * <p>
 * Service objects registered under the {@code Consumer} interface are expected
 * to consume values from a Producer service via a {@code Wire} object. A
 * Consumer service may poll the Producer service by calling the
 * {@link Wire#poll()} method. The Consumer service will also receive an updated
 * value when called at it's {@link #updated(Wire, Object)} method. The Producer
 * service should have coerced the value to be an instance of one of the types
 * specified by the {@link Wire#getFlavors()} method, or one of their
 * subclasses.
 * 
 * <p>
 * Consumer service objects must register with a {@code service.pid} and a
 * {@link WireConstants#WIREADMIN_CONSUMER_FLAVORS} property. It is recommended
 * that Consumer service objects also register with a
 * {@code service.description} property.
 * 
 * <p>
 * If an {@code Exception} is thrown by any of the {@code Consumer} methods, a
 * {@code WireAdminEvent} of type {@link WireAdminEvent#CONSUMER_EXCEPTION} is
 * broadcast by the Wire Admin service.
 * 
 * <p>
 * Security Considerations - Data consuming bundles will require
 * {@code ServicePermission[Consumer,REGISTER]}. In general, only the Wire Admin
 * service bundle should have this permission. Thus only the Wire Admin service
 * may directly call a Consumer service. Care must be taken in the sharing of
 * {@code Wire} objects with other bundles.
 * <p>
 * Consumer services must be registered with their scope when they can receive
 * different types of objects from the Producer service. The Consumer service
 * should have {@code WirePermission} for each of these scope names.
 * 
 * @author $Id: 2f7f64f305e997fa2c381842b037057116dc3e07 $
 */
public interface Consumer {
	/**
	 * Update the value. This Consumer service is called by the {@code Wire}
	 * object with an updated value from the Producer service.
	 * 
	 * <p>
	 * Note: This method may be called by a {@code Wire} object prior to this
	 * object being notified that it is connected to that {@code Wire} object
	 * (via the {@link #producersConnected(Wire[])} method).
	 * <p>
	 * When the Consumer service can receive {@code Envelope} objects, it must
	 * have registered all scope names together with the service object, and
	 * each of those names must be permitted by the bundle's
	 * {@code WirePermission}. If an {@code Envelope} object is delivered with
	 * the {@code updated} method, then the Consumer service should assume that
	 * the security check has been performed.
	 * 
	 * @param wire The {@code Wire} object which is delivering the updated
	 *        value.
	 * @param value The updated value. The value should be an instance of one of
	 *        the types specified by the {@link Wire#getFlavors()} method.
	 */
	public void updated(Wire wire, Object value);

	/**
	 * Update the list of {@code Wire} objects to which this Consumer service is
	 * connected.
	 * 
	 * <p>
	 * This method is called when the Consumer service is first registered and
	 * subsequently whenever a {@code Wire} associated with this Consumer
	 * service becomes connected, is modified or becomes disconnected.
	 * 
	 * <p>
	 * The Wire Admin service must call this method asynchronously. This implies
	 * that implementors of Consumer can be assured that the callback will not
	 * take place during registration when they execute the registration in a
	 * synchronized method.
	 * 
	 * @param wires An array of the current and complete list of {@code Wire}
	 *        objects to which this Consumer service is connected. May be
	 *        {@code null} if the Consumer service is not currently connected to
	 *        any {@code Wire} objects.
	 */
	public void producersConnected(Wire[] wires);
}