/*
* Copyright 2013 Martin Smock <smock.martin@gmail.com>
*
* 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 li.strolch.model.timevalue;
/**
* A value object defining some basic algebraic operations. Mathematically speaking {@link IValue} objects define a
* group with a addition operation.
*
* @author Martin Smock <smock.martin@gmail.com>
*
* @param <T>
* any object for which a (generalized) add operation can be defined.
*/
public interface IValue<T> {
/**
* @return the type of this {@link IValue}
*/
String getType();
/**
* @return the backing value
*/
T getValue();
/**
* @return a value with the backing value added to the argument value
*/
IValue<T> add(T o);
/**
* @return true, if the backing values match.
*/
boolean matches(IValue<T> other);
/**
* @return the inverse value, such that add(value.getInverse()) returns the neutral element of the group
*/
IValue<T> getInverse();
/**
* @return a copy of this
*/
IValue<T> getCopy();
/**
* @return this value in string representation
*/
String getValueAsString();
}