001    package jcolibri.connector;
002    
003    
004    /**
005     * Interface that must implement the classes which want to be used in the
006     * connectors. By default, connectors manage basic java types: integers,
007     * booleans, ... If developers want to use complex types, they must obey this
008     * interface.
009     * <p>
010     * IMPORTANT: You must define the equals() method to avoid problems with the data base connector.
011     * If you continue having problems try returning always "true".
012     * 
013     * @author Juan Antonio Recio García
014     * @version 1.0
015     */
016    public interface TypeAdaptor {
017        
018        /**
019             * Returns a string representation of the type.
020             */
021            public abstract String toString();
022    
023            /**
024             * Reads the type from a string.
025             * 
026             * @param content
027             */
028            public abstract void fromString(String content) throws Exception;
029            
030            /**
031             * You must define this method to avoid problems with the data base connector (Hibernate)
032             */
033            public abstract boolean equals(Object o);
034    }