/*
 * $Header: /cvshome/build/org.osgi.framework/src/org/osgi/framework/Filter.java,v 1.16 2007/02/21 16:49:05 hargrave Exp $
 * 
 * Copyright (c) OSGi Alliance (2000, 2007). All Rights Reserved.
 * 
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */
module org.osgi.framework.Filter;
import org.osgi.framework.ServiceReference;

import java.lang.all;
import java.util.Dictionary;

/**
 * An RFC 1960-based Filter.
 * <p>
 * <code>Filter</code> objects can be created by calling
 * {@link BundleContext#createFilter} with the chosen filter string.
 * <p>
 * A <code>Filter</code> object can be used numerous times to determine if the
 * match argument matches the filter string that was used to create the
 * <code>Filter</code> object.
 * <p>
 * Some examples of LDAP filters are:
 * 
 * <pre>
 *  &quot;(cn=Babs Jensen)&quot;
 *  &quot;(!(cn=Tim Howes))&quot;
 *  &quot;(&amp;(&quot; + Constants.OBJECTCLASS + &quot;=Person)(|(sn=Jensen)(cn=Babs J*)))&quot;
 *  &quot;(o=univ*of*mich*)&quot;
 * </pre>
 * 
 * @since 1.1
 * @see "Core Specification, section 5.5, for a description of the filter string
 *      syntax."
 * @ThreadSafe
 * @version $Revision: 1.16 $
 */
public interface Filter {
    /**
     * Filter using a service's properties.
     * <p>
     * The filter is executed using the keys and values of the referenced
     * service's properties. The keys are case insensitively matched with the
     * filter.
     * 
     * @param reference The reference to the service whose properties are used
     *        in the match.
     * 
     * @return <code>true</code> if the service's properties match this
     *         filter; <code>false</code> otherwise.
     */
    public bool match(ServiceReference reference);

    /**
     * Filter using a <code>Dictionary</code> object. The Filter is executed
     * using the <code>Dictionary</code> object's keys and values. The keys
     * are case insensitively matched with the filter.
     * 
     * @param dictionary The <code>Dictionary</code> object whose keys are
     *        used in the match.
     * 
     * @return <code>true</code> if the <code>Dictionary</code> object's
     *         keys and values match this filter; <code>false</code>
     *         otherwise.
     * 
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException If <code>dictionary</code> contains
     *         case variants of the same key name.
     */
    public bool match(Dictionary dictionary);

    /**
     * Returns this <code>Filter</code> object's filter string.
     * <p>
     * The filter string is normalized by removing whitespace which does not
     * affect the meaning of the filter.
     * 
     * @return Filter string.
     */
    public String toString();

    /**
     * Compares this <code>Filter</code> object to another object.
     * 
     * @param obj The object to compare against this <code>Filter</code>
     *        object.
     * 
     * @return If the other object is a <code>Filter</code> object, then
     *         returns <code>this.toString().equals(obj.toString()</code>;<code>false</code>
     *         otherwise.
     */
    public bool equals(Object obj);

    /**
     * Returns the hashCode for this <code>Filter</code> object.
     * 
     * @return The hashCode of the filter string; that is,
     *         <code>this.toString().hashCode()</code>.
     */
    public int hashCode();

    /**
     * Filter with case sensitivity using a <code>Dictionary</code> object.
     * The Filter is executed using the <code>Dictionary</code> object's keys
     * and values. The keys are case sensitively matched with the filter.
     * 
     * @param dictionary The <code>Dictionary</code> object whose keys are
     *        used in the match.
     * 
     * @return <code>true</code> if the <code>Dictionary</code> object's
     *         keys and values match this filter; <code>false</code>
     *         otherwise.
     * 
     * @since 1.3
     */
    public bool matchCase(Dictionary dictionary);
}