net.java.ao.schema
Interface TableNameConverter

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractTableNameConverter, CamelCaseTableNameConverter, PluralizedNameConverter, UnderscoreTableNameConverter

public interface TableNameConverter

Superinterface to all table name converters; designed to impose conventions upon the auto-conversion of class names to database tables. The idea behind this is to allow user-specified table name conventions and standards rather than always enforcing ActiveObjects's idea of "good naming".

Every EntityManager contains a single table name converter which the entire library uses when performing operations. Any third-party code which interacts with tables directly should make use of this faculty. By using the table name converter even in ORM-external operations, the developers can control table names in a single location and ensure that the conventions need only be maintained in one spot.

Most new implementations of table name converters should extend AbstractTableNameConverter rather than implementing this interface directly. This allows third-party converters to take advantage of boiler-plate conversion code which would otherwise have to be duplicated in every converter.

Author:

Daniel Spiewak

Method Summary

java.lang.String

getName(java.lang.Class<? extends RawEntity<?>> clazz) Generates a table name to correspond with the specified class.

Method Detail

getName

java.lang.String getName(java.lang.Class<? extends RawEntity<?>> clazz)

Generates a table name to correspond with the specified class. The algorithm used must check for the existance of the Table annotation and use the appropriate override when necessary. If this check is not made, ActiveObjects will continue to function normally, but any code assuming the proper imlementation of @Table will likely fail.

Parameters:

clazz - The entity type for which a corresponding field name must be generated.

Returns:

A database table name which corresponds to the given entity type.