/*
 * Permission to copy, display and distribute the Service Component Architecture Specification and/or
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 * that you include the following on ALL copies of the Service Component Architecture Specification, or
 * portions thereof, that you make:
 * 1. A link or URL to the Service Component Architecture Specification at this location:
 *    http://www.osoa.org/display/Main/Service+Component+Architecture+Specifications
 * 2. The full text of the copyright notice as shown in the Service Component Architecture Specification.
 * BEA, Cape Clear, IBM, Interface21, IONA, Oracle, Primeton, Progress Software, Red Hat, Rogue Wave,
 * SAP, Siemens, Software AG., Sun, Sybase, TIBCO (collectively, the "Authors") agree to grant you a
 * royalty-free license, under reasonable, non-discriminatory terms and conditions to patents that they deem
 * necessary to implement the Service Component Architecture Specification.
 * THE Service Component Architecture SPECIFICATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS," AND THE
 * AUTHORS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
 * REGARDING THIS SPECIFICATION AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS CONTENTS,
 * INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
 * PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OR TITLE.
 * THE AUTHORS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL
 * OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY USE OR
 * DISTRIBUTION OF THE Service Components Architecture SPECIFICATION.
 * The name and trademarks of the Authors may NOT be used in any manner, including advertising or
 * publicity pertaining to the Service Component Architecture Specification or its contents without specific,   
 */
package org.osoa.sca;

/**
 * Interface providing programmatic access to a component's SCA context as an alternative to injection.
 * It provides access to reference and property values for the component and provides a mechanism for
 * obtaining a reference to a service that can be passed to other components.
 * <p/>
 * SCA components obtain an instance of this interface through injection. Non-SCA client code may also
 * obtain an instance through runtime-specific mechanisms.
 * 
 * @version $Rev$ $Date$
 */
public interface ComponentContext {
    /**
     * Returns the absolute URI of the component within the SCA Domain.
     *
     * @return the absolute URI of the component
     */
    String getURI();

    /**
     * Cast a type-safe reference to a CallableReference.
     * Converts a type-safe reference to an equivalent CallableReference; if the target refers to a service
     * then a ServiceReference will be returned, if the target refers to a callback then a CallableReference
     * will be returned.
     *
     * @param target a reference proxy provided by the SCA runtime
     * @param <B> the Java type of the business interface for the reference
     * @param <R> the type of reference to be returned
     * @return a CallableReference equivalent for the proxy
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the supplied instance is not a reference supplied by the SCA runtime
     */
    <B, R extends CallableReference<B>> R cast(B target) throws IllegalArgumentException;

    /**
     * Returns a proxy for a reference defined by this component.
     *
     * @param businessInterface the interface that will be used to invoke the service
     * @param referenceName the name of the reference
     * @param <B> the Java type of the business interface for the reference
     * @return an object that implements the business interface
     */
    <B> B getService(Class<B> businessInterface, String referenceName);

    /**
     * Returns a ServiceReference for a reference defined by this component.
     *
     * @param businessInterface the interface that will be used to invoke the service
     * @param referenceName the name of the reference
     * @param <B> the Java type of the business interface for the reference
     * @return a ServiceReference for the designated reference
     */
    <B> ServiceReference<B> getServiceReference(Class<B> businessInterface, String referenceName);

    /**
     * Returns the value of an SCA property defined by this component.
     *
     * @param type the Java type to be returned for the property
     * @param propertyName the name of the property whose value should be returned
     * @param <B> the Java type of the property
     * @return the property value
     */
    <B> B getProperty(Class<B> type, String propertyName);

    /**
     * Returns a ServiceReference that can be used to invoke this component over the default service.
     *
     * @param businessInterface the interface that will be used to invoke the service
     * @param <B> the Java type of the business interface for the reference
     * @return a ServiceReference that will invoke this component
     */
    <B> ServiceReference<B> createSelfReference(Class<B> businessInterface);

    /**
     * Returns a ServiceReference that can be used to invoke this component over the designated service.
     *
     * @param businessInterface the interface that will be used to invoke the service
     * @param serviceName the name of the service to invoke
     * @param <B> the Java type of the business interface for the reference
     * @return a ServiceReference that will invoke this component
     */
    <B> ServiceReference<B> createSelfReference(Class<B> businessInterface, String serviceName);

    /**
     * Returns the context for the current SCA service request, or null if there is no current request
     * or if the context is unavailable.
     *
     * @return the SCA request context; may be null
     */
    RequestContext getRequestContext();
}