//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Copyright (C) 2011 Ingrid Nunes
//
// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
// modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
// License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
// version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
//
// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
// Lesser General Public License for more details.
//
// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
//
// To contact the authors:
// http://inf.ufrgs.br/prosoft/bdi4jade/
//
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
package bdi4jade.core;
import java.util.Map;
/**
* This interface defines methods that a certain element should implement to
* store metadata. Such metadata may be used in reasoning processes.
*
* @author Ingrid Nunes
*
*/
public interface MetadataElement {
/**
* @return the metadata
*/
public Map<?, ?> getMetadata();
/**
* Gets a value of a metadata.
*
* @param name
* the name of the metadata.
* @return the existing value of this metadata.
*/
public Object getMetadata(Object name);
/**
* Verifies if a metadata is associated with this element.
*
* @param name
* the name of the metadata.
* @return true if the element has this metadata.
*/
public boolean hasMetadata(Object name);
/**
* Put a metadata in this element. If it does not exists, it is added, and
* it is update otherwise.
*
* @param name
* the name of the metadata.
* @param value
* the value associated with this metadata.
*/
public void putMetadata(Object name, Object value);
/**
* Removes a metadata of this element.
*
* @param name
* the name of the metadata.
* @return the existing value of this metadata.
*/
public Object removeMetadata(Object name);
}