001    /**
002     * Copyright (c) 2010, SIB. All rights reserved.
003     * 
004     * SIB (Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics) - http://www.isb-sib.ch Host -
005     * https://sourceforge.net/projects/javaprotlib/
006     * 
007     * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
008     * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
009     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
010     * list of conditions and the following disclaimer. Redistributions in binary
011     * form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and
012     * the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
013     * with the distribution. Neither the name of the SIB/GENEBIO nor the names of
014     * its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this
015     * software without specific prior written permission.
016     * 
017     * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
018     * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
019     * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
020     * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL SIB/GENEBIO BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
021     * INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
022     * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
023     * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
024     * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
025     * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
026     * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
027     */
028    package org.expasy.jpl.commons.collection.symbol;
029    
030    
031    import java.io.Serializable;
032    
033    
034    /**
035     * The {@code Symbol} interface should be implemented by any symbol class
036     * defined by a character id and a {@code SymbolType<T>}.
037     * 
038     * @param T the data wrapped into the symbol object.
039     * 
040     * @author nikitin
041     * 
042     * @version 1.0
043     * 
044     */
045    public interface Symbol<T> {
046            
047            /** @return the symbol name character */
048            char getName();
049            
050            /** @return the symbol type */
051            SymbolType<T> getType();
052            
053            /** A symbol type is defined by a name and an alphabet */
054            public interface SymbolType<T> extends Serializable {
055                    
056                    /** the name of symbol type */
057                    String getName();
058                    
059                    /** the alphabet */
060                    Alphabet<T> getAlphabet();
061                    
062                    /** the manager maps symbols with the corresponding T-typed data */
063                    DataSymbolRegister<T> getDataSymbolManager();
064            }
065            
066    }