001    /* ===========================================================
002     * JFreeChart : a free chart library for the Java(tm) platform
003     * ===========================================================
004     *
005     * (C) Copyright 2000-2008, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
006     *
007     * Project Info:  http://www.jfree.org/jfreechart/index.html
008     *
009     * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
010     * under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
011     * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
012     * (at your option) any later version.
013     *
014     * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
015     * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
016     * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public
017     * License for more details.
018     *
019     * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
020     * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
021     * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301,
022     * USA.
023     *
024     * [Java is a trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
025     * in the United States and other countries.]
026     *
027     * -------------
028     * Timeline.java
029     * -------------
030     * (C) Copyright 2000-2008, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
031     *
032     * Original Author:  Bill Kelemen;
033     * Contributor(s):   David Gilbert (for Object Refinery Limited);
034     *
035     * Changes
036     * -------
037     * 23-May-2003 : Version 1 (BK);
038     * 09-Sep-2003 : Changed some method and parameter names (DG);
039     * 02-Feb-2007 : Removed author tags all over JFreeChart sources (DG);
040     *
041     */
042    
043    package org.jfree.chart.axis;
044    
045    import java.util.Date;
046    
047    /**
048     * An interface that defines the contract for a Timeline.
049     * <P>
050     * A Timeline will present a series of values to be used for an axis. Each
051     * Timeline must provide transformation methods between domain values and
052     * timeline values. In theory many transformations are possible. This interface
053     * has been implemented completely in
054     * {@link org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline}.
055     * <P>
056     * A timeline can be used as parameter to a
057     * {@link org.jfree.chart.axis.DateAxis} to define the values that this axis
058     * supports. As an example, the {@link org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline}
059     * implements a timeline formed by segments of equal length (ex. days, hours,
060     * minutes) where some segments can be included in the timeline and others
061     * excluded. Therefore timelines like "working days" or "working hours" can be
062     * created where non-working days or non-working hours respectively can be
063     * removed from the timeline, and therefore from the axis. This creates a smooth
064     * plot with equal separation between all included segments.
065     * <P>
066     * Because Timelines were created mainly for Date related axis, values are
067     * represented as longs instead of doubles. In this case, the domain value is
068     * just the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT as
069     * defined by the getTime() method of {@link java.util.Date}.
070     *
071     * @see org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline
072     * @see org.jfree.chart.axis.DateAxis
073     */
074    public interface Timeline {
075    
076        /**
077         * Translates a millisecond (as defined by java.util.Date) into an index
078         * along this timeline.
079         *
080         * @param millisecond  the millisecond.
081         *
082         * @return A timeline value.
083         */
084        long toTimelineValue(long millisecond);
085    
086        /**
087         * Translates a date into a value on this timeline.
088         *
089         * @param date  the date.
090         *
091         * @return A timeline value
092         */
093        long toTimelineValue(Date date);
094    
095        /**
096         * Translates a value relative to this timeline into a domain value. The
097         * domain value obtained by this method is not always the same domain value
098         * that could have been supplied to
099         * translateDomainValueToTimelineValue(domainValue).
100         * This is because the original tranformation may not be complete
101         * reversable.
102         *
103         * @see org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline
104         *
105         * @param timelineValue  a timeline value.
106         *
107         * @return A domain value.
108         */
109        long toMillisecond(long timelineValue);
110    
111        /**
112         * Returns <code>true</code> if a value is contained in the timeline values.
113         *
114         * @param millisecond  the millisecond.
115         *
116         * @return <code>true</code> if value is contained in the timeline and
117         *         <code>false</code> otherwise.
118         */
119        boolean containsDomainValue(long millisecond);
120    
121        /**
122         * Returns <code>true</code> if a date is contained in the timeline values.
123         *
124         * @param date  the date to verify.
125         *
126         * @return <code>true</code> if value is contained in the timeline and
127         *         <code>false</code>  otherwise.
128         */
129        boolean containsDomainValue(Date date);
130    
131        /**
132         * Returns <code>true</code> if a range of values are contained in the
133         * timeline.
134         *
135         * @param fromMillisecond  the start of the range to verify.
136         * @param toMillisecond  the end of the range to verify.
137         *
138         * @return <code>true</code> if the range is contained in the timeline or
139         *         <code>false</code> otherwise
140         */
141        boolean containsDomainRange(long fromMillisecond, long toMillisecond);
142    
143        /**
144         * Returns <code>true</code> if a range of dates are contained in the
145         * timeline.
146         *
147         * @param fromDate  the start of the range to verify.
148         * @param toDate  the end of the range to verify.
149         *
150         * @return <code>true</code> if the range is contained in the timeline or
151         *         <code>false</code> otherwise
152         */
153        boolean containsDomainRange(Date fromDate, Date toDate);
154    
155    }