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 }