Package: grails.core

## [Java] Interface ArtefactHandler

- The ArtefactHandler interface's purpose is to allow the analysis of conventions within a Grails application. An artefact is represented by the GrailsClass interface and this interface provides methods that allow artefacts to be identified, created and initialized.

  Artefacts need to provide info about themselves, and some callbacks are required to verify whether or not a class is that kind of artefact/p>

  Authors:
    Graeme Rocher
    Marc Palmer (marc@anyware.co.uk)
  See Also:
    GrailsApplication.registerArtefactHandler
  Since:
    1.0

- - ### Methods Summary

    Methods
    Type Params | Return Type | Name and description
    --- | --- | ---
    `` | `GrailsClass` | `getArtefactForFeature(java.lang.Object feature)`
    `` | `java.lang.String` | `getPluginName()` Obtains the plugin name that deals with this artefact.
    `` | `java.lang.String` | `getType()` Implementations must return a name such as "Domain" to indicate the type of artefact they represent.
    `` | `void` | `initialize(ArtefactInfo artefacts)`
    `` | `boolean` | `isArtefact(org.codehaus.groovy.ast.ClassNode classNode)` @param classNode The ClassNode instance
    `` | `boolean` | `isArtefact(java.lang.Class aClass)`
    `` | `boolean` | `isArtefactGrailsClass(GrailsClass artefactGrailsClass)`
    `` | `GrailsClass` | `newArtefactClass(java.lang.Class artefactClass)`

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### public GrailsClass getArtefactForFeature(java.lang.Object feature)

      Called to retrieve an artefact relating to some other key for example a URI or tag name

      Handlers are responsible for caching the appropriate information using the data passed to them in calls to initialize()

      Parameters:
        `feature` - Any object that acts as a key
      Returns:
        A matching artefact GrailsClass or null if there is no match for this feature ID

    - #### public java.lang.String getPluginName()

      Obtains the plugin name that deals with this artefact.

      Returns:
        The plugin name or null if there isn't one

    - #### public java.lang.String getType()

      Implementations must return a name such as "Domain" to indicate the type of artefact they represent.

      Returns:
        The aretfact type, as a String

    - #### public void initialize(ArtefactInfo artefacts)

      Called whenever the list of artefacts has changed or been reloaded.

      It must be safe to call this method multiple times and have any internal data structures reset.

      Parameters:
        `artefacts` - The collection of artefact classes for this handler

    - #### public boolean isArtefact(org.codehaus.groovy.ast.ClassNode classNode)

      Parameters:
        `classNode` - The ClassNode instance
      Returns:
        True if the given ClassNode instance is an instance of the Artefact type

    - #### public boolean isArtefact(@java.lang.SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") java.lang.Class aClass)

      Called by the GrailsApplication whenever it needs to know if a given class is considered to be the kind of artefact represented by this handler.

      Typically you will check the name of the class and some other properties to see if it is of the correct artefact type

      Parameters:
        `aClass` - A class to test
      Returns:
        true if the class looks like one of your artefacts

    - #### public boolean isArtefactGrailsClass(GrailsClass artefactGrailsClass)

      Called to check if the specified GrailsClass is one managed by this artefact handler

      Parameters:
        `artefactGrailsClass` - A GrailsClass instance
      Returns:
        true if this handler manages the specified GrailsClass

    - #### public GrailsClass newArtefactClass(@java.lang.SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") java.lang.Class artefactClass)

      Called by GrailsApplication when a new class is found and a GrailsClass wrapping it is required

      Parameters:
        `artefactClass` - The new class that has been loaded
      Returns:
        A new custom GrailsClass wrapper containing any extra information your artefact type requires