/*
 * Copyright 2005-2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
 *
 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
 * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Sun designates this
 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
 * by Sun in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
 *
 * This code 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 General Public License
 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
 * accompanied this code).
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
 *
 * Please contact Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara,
 * CA 95054 USA or visit www.sun.com if you need additional information or
 * have any questions.
 */

package javax.script;

/**
 * The optional interface implemented by ScriptEngines whose methods allow the invocation of
 * procedures in scripts that have previously been executed.
 *
 * @author  Mike Grogan
 * @author  A. Sundararajan
 * @since 1.6
 */
public interface Invocable  {
    /**
     * Calls a method on a script object compiled during a previous script execution,
     * which is retained in the state of the <code>ScriptEngine</code>.
     *
     * @param name The name of the procedure to be called.
     *
     * @param thiz If the procedure is a member  of a class
     * defined in the script and thiz is an instance of that class
     * returned by a previous execution or invocation, the named method is
     * called through that instance.
     *
     * @param args Arguments to pass to the procedure.  The rules for converting
     * the arguments to scripting variables are implementation-specific.
     *
     * @return The value returned by the procedure.  The rules for converting the scripting
     * variable returned by the script method to a Java Object are implementation-specific.
     *
     * @throws ScriptException if an error occurrs during invocation of the method.
     * @throws NoSuchMethodException if method with given name or matching argument types cannot be found.
     * @throws NullPointerException if the method name is null.
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the specified thiz is null or the specified Object is
     * does not represent a scripting object.
     */
    public Object invokeMethod(Object thiz, String name, Object... args)
        throws ScriptException, NoSuchMethodException;

    /**
     * Used to call top-level procedures and functions defined in scripts.
     *
     * @param args Arguments to pass to the procedure or function
     * @return The value returned by the procedure or function
     *
     * @throws ScriptException if an error occurrs during invocation of the method.
     * @throws NoSuchMethodException if method with given name or matching argument types cannot be found.
     * @throws NullPointerException if method name is null.
     */
     public Object invokeFunction(String name, Object... args)
        throws ScriptException, NoSuchMethodException;


     /**
     * Returns an implementation of an interface using functions compiled in
     * the interpreter. The methods of the interface
     * may be implemented using the <code>invokeFunction</code> method.
     *
     * @param clasz The <code>Class</code> object of the interface to return.
     *
     * @return An instance of requested interface - null if the requested interface is unavailable,
     * i. e. if compiled functions in the <code>ScriptEngine</code> cannot be found matching
     * the ones in the requested interface.
     *
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the specified <code>Class</code> object
     * is null or is not an interface.
     */
    public <T> T getInterface(Class<T> clasz);

    /**
     * Returns an implementation of an interface using member functions of
     * a scripting object compiled in the interpreter. The methods of the
     * interface may be implemented using the <code>invokeMethod</code> method.
     *
     * @param thiz The scripting object whose member functions are used to implement the methods of the interface.
     * @param clasz The <code>Class</code> object of the interface to return.
     *
     * @return An instance of requested interface - null if the requested interface is unavailable,
     * i. e. if compiled methods in the <code>ScriptEngine</code> cannot be found matching
     * the ones in the requested interface.
     *
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the specified <code>Class</code> object
     * is null or is not an interface, or if the specified Object is
     * null or does not represent a scripting object.
     */
     public <T> T getInterface(Object thiz, Class<T> clasz);

}