com.partnersoft.core

Interface Constants

All Known Implementing Classes:

DataConstants, GuiConstants, IOConstants, MapAppConstants, MeasurementConstants, RoverConstants, ShapeConstants, TimeConstants, XyConstants, XyzConstants, YonderConstants

public interface Constants

A marker interface for classes that define constants.

We often have to define constants in our code. The new Typesafe Enumeration facility in Java 1.5 removes the need for many of these constants; however when interfacing to other programming systems, defining data formats, and other similar activities constants are still very useful.

Classes which define constants should obey the following rules:

• it's a class, not an interface
• private no-args constructor to prevent instantiation or inheritance (just like Lib)
• name ending in "Constants", e.g. "GeometryConstants"
• no methods, just values
• all values are defined as public static final
• all values have names in uppercase with underscores separating words, e.g. MY_FAVORITE_NUMBER

The "import static" facility provided in Java 1.5 makes it possible to include constants into another class's namespace without having to inherit from the Constants implementation.

A skeletal implementation is provided in skeletons/java/SkeletonConstants.java for your convenience and pleasure.

Copyright 2006 Partner Software, Inc.

Author:

Paul Reavis, Russell Cagle