001    /**
002    The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version 1.1 
003    (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. 
004    You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/ 
005    Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, 
006    WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the 
007    specific language governing rights and limitations under the License. 
008    
009    The Original Code is "Type.java".  Description: 
010    "An HL7 datatype" 
011    
012    The Initial Developer of the Original Code is University Health Network. Copyright (C) 
013    2001.  All Rights Reserved. 
014    
015    Contributor(s): ______________________________________. 
016    
017    Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of the 
018    GNU General Public License (the  ???GPL???), in which case the provisions of the GPL are 
019    applicable instead of those above.  If you wish to allow use of your version of this 
020    file only under the terms of the GPL and not to allow others to use your version 
021    of this file under the MPL, indicate your decision by deleting  the provisions above 
022    and replace  them with the notice and other provisions required by the GPL License.  
023    If you do not delete the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of 
024    this file under either the MPL or the GPL. 
025    
026    */
027    
028    package ca.uhn.hl7v2.model;
029    
030    import ca.uhn.hl7v2.HL7Exception;
031    import java.io.Serializable;
032    
033    /**
034     * An HL7 datatype.  Datatypes normally implement either Composite or Primitive.    
035     * @author Bryan Tripp (bryan_tripp@sourceforge.net)
036     */
037    public interface Type extends Serializable {
038    
039        /** Returns the name of the type (used in XML encoding and profile checking) */
040        public String getName();
041        
042        /**
043         * Returns an object containing any extra (non-standard) components that 
044         * have been added to this type at run-time.  This object can also be used
045         * to add components.  
046         */
047        public ExtraComponents getExtraComponents();
048        
049        /**
050         * @return the message to which this Type belongs
051         */
052        public Message getMessage();
053    
054        /**
055         * Parses the string into this message using the parser returned by {@link #getParser() }
056         */
057        public void parse(String string) throws HL7Exception;
058    
059    
060        /**
061         * Encodes this message using the parser returned by {@link #getParser() }
062         */
063        public String encode() throws HL7Exception;
064    
065    
066            /**
067             * Clears all data from this type
068             */
069            void clear();
070    }