org.springframework.binding.convert.converters
Interface Converter

All Known Subinterfaces:

TwoWayConverter

All Known Implementing Classes:

ArrayToArray, ArrayToCollection, CollectionToCollection, DataModelConverter, FormattedStringToNumber, NumberToNumber, ObjectToArray, ObjectToCollection, PropertyEditorConverter, ReverseConverter, SpringConvertingConverterAdapter, StringToBigDecimal, StringToBigInteger, StringToBoolean, StringToByte, StringToCharacter, StringToClass, StringToDate, StringToDouble, StringToEnum, StringToFloat, StringToInteger, StringToLocale, StringToLong, StringToObject, StringToShort

public interface Converter

A converter is capable of converting a source object of type getSourceClass() to a target type of type getTargetClass(). If the converter is a TwoWayConverter, it can also convert from the target back to the source.

Implementations of this interface are thread-safe and can be shared.

Author:

Keith Donald

Method Summary

java.lang.Object	convertSourceToTargetClass(java.lang.Object source, java.lang.Class targetClass) Convert the provided source object argument to an instance of the specified target class.
java.lang.Class	getSourceClass() The source class this converter can convert from.
java.lang.Class	getTargetClass() The target class this converter can convert to.

Method Detail

getSourceClass

java.lang.Class getSourceClass()

The source class this converter can convert from. May be an interface or abstract type to allow this converter to convert specific subclasses as well.

Returns:

the source type

getTargetClass

java.lang.Class getTargetClass()

The target class this converter can convert to. May be an interface or abstract type to allow this converter to convert specific subclasses as well.

Returns:

the target type

convertSourceToTargetClass

java.lang.Object convertSourceToTargetClass(java.lang.Object source,
                                            java.lang.Class targetClass)
                                            throws java.lang.Exception

Convert the provided source object argument to an instance of the specified target class.

Parameters:

source - the source object to convert, which must be an instance of getSourceClass()

targetClass - the target class to convert the source to, which must be equal to or a specialization of getTargetClass()

Returns:

the converted object, which must be an instance of the targetClass

Throws:

java.lang.Exception - an exception occurred performing the conversion