src/org/apache/xalan/serialize/Serializer.java

/*
 * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
 *
 *
 * Copyright (c) 1999 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights 
 * reserved.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
 * are met:
 *
 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 
 *
 * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
 *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
 *    distribution.
 *
 * 3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution,
 *    if any, must include the following acknowledgment:  
 *       "This product includes software developed by the
 *        Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
 *    Alternately, this acknowledgment may appear in the software itself,
 *    if and wherever such third-party acknowledgments normally appear.
 *
 * 4. The names "Xalan" and "Apache Software Foundation" must
 *    not be used to endorse or promote products derived from this
 *    software without prior written permission. For written 
 *    permission, please contact apache@apache.org.
 *
 * 5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache",
 *    nor may "Apache" appear in their name, without prior written
 *    permission of the Apache Software Foundation.
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED
 * WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
 * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
 * DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE APACHE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION OR
 * ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
 * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
 * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF
 * USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
 * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
 * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
 * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 * SUCH DAMAGE.
 * ====================================================================
 *
 * This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many
 * individuals on behalf of the Apache Software Foundation and was
 * originally based on software copyright (c) 1999, Lotus
 * Development Corporation., http://www.lotus.com.  For more
 * information on the Apache Software Foundation, please see
 * <http://www.apache.org/>.
 */
package org.apache.xalan.serialize;

import java.io.Writer;
import java.io.OutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.Properties;

import org.xml.sax.ContentHandler;

/**
 * The Serializer interface is implemented by Serializers to publish methods 
 * to get and set streams and writers, to set the output properties, and 
 * get the Serializer as a ContentHandler or DOMSerializer.
 */
public interface Serializer
{

  /**
   * Specifies an output stream to which the document should be
   * serialized. This method should not be called while the
   * serializer is in the process of serializing a document.
   * <p>
   * The encoding specified in the output {@link Properties} is used, or
   * if no encoding was specified, the default for the selected
   * output method.
   *
   * @param output The output stream
   */
  public void setOutputStream(OutputStream output);

  /**
   * Get the output stream where the events will be serialized to.
   *
   * @return reference to the result stream, or null of only a writer was
   * set.
   */
  public OutputStream getOutputStream();

  /**
   * Specifies a writer to which the document should be serialized.
   * This method should not be called while the serializer is in
   * the process of serializing a document.
   * <p>
   * The encoding specified for the output {@link Properties} must be
   * identical to the output format used with the writer.
   *
   * @param writer The output writer stream
   */
  public void setWriter(Writer writer);

  /**
   * Get the character stream where the events will be serialized to.
   *
   * @return Reference to the result Writer, or null.
   */
  public Writer getWriter();

  /**
   * Specifies an output format for this serializer. It the
   * serializer has already been associated with an output format,
   * it will switch to the new format. This method should not be
   * called while the serializer is in the process of serializing
   * a document.
   *
   * @param format The output format to use
   */
  public void setOutputFormat(Properties format);

  /**
   * Returns the output format for this serializer.
   *
   * @return The output format in use
   */
  public Properties getOutputFormat();

  /**
   * Return a {@link ContentHandler} interface into this serializer.
   * If the serializer does not support the {@link ContentHandler}
   * interface, it should return null.
   *
   * @return A {@link ContentHandler} interface into this serializer,
   *  or null if the serializer is not SAX 2 capable
   * @throws IOException An I/O exception occured
   */
  public ContentHandler asContentHandler() throws IOException;

  /**
   * Return a {@link DOMSerializer} interface into this serializer.
   * If the serializer does not support the {@link DOMSerializer}
   * interface, it should return null.
   *
   * @return A {@link DOMSerializer} interface into this serializer,
   *  or null if the serializer is not DOM capable
   * @throws IOException An I/O exception occured
   */
  public DOMSerializer asDOMSerializer() throws IOException;

  /**
   * Resets the serializer. If this method returns true, the
   * serializer may be used for subsequent serialization of new
   * documents. It is possible to change the output format and
   * output stream prior to serializing, or to use the existing
   * output format and output stream.
   *
   * @return True if serializer has been reset and can be reused
   */
  public boolean reset();
}