org.springframework.beans
Interface Mergeable

All Known Implementing Classes:

ManagedList, ManagedMap, ManagedProperties, ManagedSet

public interface Mergeable

Interface representing an object whose value set can be merged with that of a parent object.

Since:

2.0

Author:

Rob Harrop

See Also:

ManagedSet, ManagedList, ManagedMap, ManagedProperties

Method Summary

boolean	isMergeEnabled() Is merging enabled for this particular instance?
Object	merge(Object parent) Merge the current value set with that of the supplied object.

Method Detail

isMergeEnabled

boolean isMergeEnabled()

Is merging enabled for this particular instance?

merge

Object merge(Object parent)

Merge the current value set with that of the supplied object.

The supplied object is considered the parent, and values in the callee's value set must override those of the supplied object.

Parameters:

parent - the object to merge with

Returns:

the result of the merge operation

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if the supplied parent is null

IllegalStateException - if merging is not enabled for this instance (i.e. mergeEnabled equals false).