org.eclipse.persistence.mappings.converters
Interface Converter

All Superinterfaces:

java.io.Serializable

All Known Subinterfaces:

XMLConverter

All Known Implementing Classes:

ClassInstanceConverter, EnumTypeConverter, InstanceClassConverter, JAXBEnumTypeConverter, JAXBTypesafeEnumConverter, ObjectTypeConverter, SerializedObjectConverter, TypeConversionConverter, TypeStringConverter, XMLConverterAdapter, XMLListConverter, XMLRootConverter

public interface Converter
extends java.io.Serializable

Purpose: Conversion interface to allow conversion between object and data types. This can be used in any mapping to convert between the object and data types without requiring code placed in the object model. TopLink provides several common converters, but the application can also define it own.

See Also:

AbstractDirectMapping.setConverter(Converter), DirectCollectionMapping#setConverter(Converter), ObjectTypeConverter, TypeConversionConverter

Author:

James Sutherland

Since:

OracleAS TopLink 10g (10.0.3)

Method Summary

java.lang.Object	convertDataValueToObjectValue(java.lang.Object dataValue, Session session) PUBLIC: Convert the databases' data representation of the value to the object's representation.
java.lang.Object	convertObjectValueToDataValue(java.lang.Object objectValue, Session session) PUBLIC: Convert the object's representation of the value to the databases' data representation.
void	initialize(DatabaseMapping mapping, Session session) PUBLIC: Allow for any initialization.
boolean	isMutable() PUBLIC: If the converter converts the value to a mutable value, i.e.

Method Detail

convertObjectValueToDataValue

java.lang.Object convertObjectValueToDataValue(java.lang.Object objectValue,
                                               Session session)

PUBLIC: Convert the object's representation of the value to the databases' data representation. For example this could convert between a Calendar Java type and the sql.Time datatype.

convertDataValueToObjectValue

java.lang.Object convertDataValueToObjectValue(java.lang.Object dataValue,
                                               Session session)

PUBLIC: Convert the databases' data representation of the value to the object's representation. For example this could convert between an sql.Time datatype and the Java Calendar type.

isMutable

boolean isMutable()

PUBLIC: If the converter converts the value to a mutable value, i.e. a value that can have its' parts changed without being replaced, then it must return true. If the value is not mutable, cannot be changed without replacing the whole value then false must be returned. This is used within the UnitOfWork to determine how to clone.

initialize

void initialize(DatabaseMapping mapping,
                Session session)

PUBLIC: Allow for any initialization.