001/* ===========================================================
002 * JFreeChart : a free chart library for the Java(tm) platform
003 * ===========================================================
004 *
005 * (C) Copyright 2000-2013, 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 * [Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. 
025 * Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.]
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
043package org.jfree.chart.axis;
044
045import 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 */
074public 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 transformation 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}