org.springframework.core.io
Interface Resource

All Superinterfaces:
InputStreamSource
All Known Implementing Classes:
AbstractResource

public interface Resource
extends InputStreamSource

Interface for a resource descriptor that abstracts from the actual type of resource, like file or class path resource.

An InputStream can be opened for every resource if it exists in physical form, but a URL or File handle can just be returned for certain resources. The actual behavior is implementation-specific.

Since:
28.12.2003
Author:
Juergen Hoeller

Method Summary
 boolean exists()
          Return whether this resource actually exists in physical form.
 java.lang.String getDescription()
          Return a description for this resource, to be used for error output when working with the resource.
 java.io.File getFile()
          Return a File handle for this resource.
 java.net.URL getURL()
          Return a URL handle for this resource.
 boolean isOpen()
          Return whether this resource represents a handle with an open stream.
 
Methods inherited from interface org.springframework.core.io.InputStreamSource
getInputStream
 

Method Detail

exists

public boolean exists()
Return whether this resource actually exists in physical form.


isOpen

public boolean isOpen()
Return whether this resource represents a handle with an open stream. If true, the InputStream cannot be read multiple times, and must be read and closed to avoid resource leaks.

Will be false for all usual resource descriptors.


getURL

public java.net.URL getURL()
                    throws java.io.IOException
Return a URL handle for this resource.

Throws:
java.io.IOException - if the resource cannot be resolved as URL, i.e. if the resource is not available as descriptor

getFile

public java.io.File getFile()
                     throws java.io.IOException
Return a File handle for this resource.

Throws:
java.io.IOException - if the resource cannot be resolved as absolute file path, i.e. if the resource is not available in a file system

getDescription

public java.lang.String getDescription()
Return a description for this resource, to be used for error output when working with the resource.

Implementations are also encouraged to return this value from their toString method.

See Also:
Object.toString()


Copyright (C) 2003-2004 The Spring Framework Project.