javax.units.converters
Class UnitConverter

java.lang.Object
  javax.units.converters.UnitConverter

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable

Direct Known Subclasses:

AddConverter, LogConverter, MultiplyConverter, RationalConverter

public abstract class UnitConverter
extends java.lang.Object
implements java.io.Serializable

This class represents a converter of numeric values.

It is not required for sub-classes to be immutable (e.g. currency converter).

Version:

3.1, April 22, 2006

Author:

Jean-Marie Dautelle

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

static UnitConverter

IDENTITY Holds the identity converter (unique).

Constructor Summary

protected

UnitConverter() Default constructor.

Method Summary

UnitConverter	concatenate(UnitConverter converter) Concatenates this converter with another converter.
abstract double	convert(double x) Converts a double value.
abstract boolean	equals(java.lang.Object cvtr) Indicates whether this converter is considered equivalent to the converter specified.
abstract int	hashCode() Returns a hash code value for this converter.
abstract UnitConverter	inverse() Returns the inverse of this converter.
abstract boolean	isLinear() Indicates if this converter is linear.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

IDENTITY

public static final UnitConverter IDENTITY

Holds the identity converter (unique). This converter does nothing (IDENTITY.convert(x) == x).

Constructor Detail

UnitConverter

protected UnitConverter()

Default constructor.

Method Detail

inverse

public abstract UnitConverter inverse()

Returns the inverse of this converter. If x is a valid value, then x == inverse().convert(convert(x)) to within the accuracy of computer arithmetic.

Returns:

the inverse of this converter.

convert

public abstract double convert(double x)
                        throws ConversionException

Converts a double value.

Parameters:

x - the numeric value to convert.

Returns:

the converted numeric value.

Throws:

ConversionException - if an error occurs during conversion.

isLinear

public abstract boolean isLinear()

Indicates if this converter is linear. A converter is linear if convert(u + v) == convert(u) + convert(v) and convert(r * u) == r * convert(u). For linear converters the following property always hold:

     y1 = c1.convert(x1);
     y2 = c2.convert(x2); 
 then y1*y2 = c1.concatenate(c2).convert(x1*x2)

Returns:

true if this converter is linear; false otherwise.

equals

public abstract boolean equals(java.lang.Object cvtr)

Indicates whether this converter is considered equivalent to the converter specified.

Overrides:

equals in class java.lang.Object

Parameters:

cvtr - the converter with which to compare.

Returns:

true if the specified object is a converter considered equals to this converter; false otherwise.

hashCode

public abstract int hashCode()

Returns a hash code value for this converter. Equals object have equal hash codes.

Overrides:

hashCode in class java.lang.Object

Returns:

this converter hash code value.

See Also:

equals(java.lang.Object)

concatenate

public UnitConverter concatenate(UnitConverter converter)

Concatenates this converter with another converter. The resulting converter is equivalent to first converting by the specified converter, and then converting by this converter.

Note: Implementations must ensure that the IDENTITY instance is returned if the resulting converter is an identity converter.

Parameters:

converter - the other converter.

Returns:

the concatenation of this converter with the other converter.