framework/src/net/sf/tapestry/ISpecificationSource.java

//
// Tapestry Web Application Framework
// Copyright (c) 2000-2002 by Howard Lewis Ship
//
// Howard Lewis Ship
// http://sf.net/projects/tapestry
// mailto:hship@users.sf.net
//
// This library is free software.
//
// You may redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU
// Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation.
//
// Version 2.1 of the license should be included with this distribution in
// the file LICENSE, as well as License.html. If the license is not
// included with this distribution, you may find a copy at the FSF web
// site at 'www.gnu.org' or 'www.fsf.org', or you may write to the
// Free Software Foundation, 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA.
//
// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied waranty of
// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
// Lesser General Public License for more details.
//

package net.sf.tapestry;

import net.sf.tapestry.spec.ComponentSpecification;

/**
 *  Defines access to component specifications.
 *
 *  @see ComponentSpecification
 *
 * @author Howard Lewis Ship
 * @version $Id$
 * 
 **/

public interface ISpecificationSource
{
	/**
	 *  Gets a specification from the cache, possibly parsing it at the same time.
	 *
	 *  <p>The type is used to locate the resource that defines the specification.  In
	 *  practical terms, this is the XML file which contains the specification.
	 *
	 * @throws ResourceUnavailableException if the specification cannot be located or loaded.
	 *
	 **/

	public ComponentSpecification getSpecification(String type)
		throws ResourceUnavailableException;

	/**
	 *  Invoked to have the source clear any internal cache.  This is most often
	 *  used when debugging an application.
	 *
	 **/

	public void reset();
}