/*
 * $Header: /home/cvspublic/jakarta-commons/digester/src/java/org/apache/commons/digester/RuleSet.java,v 1.3 2003/02/02 16:09:53 rdonkin Exp $
 * $Revision: 1.3 $
 * $Date: 2003/02/02 16:09:53 $
 *
 * ====================================================================
 *
 * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
 *
 * Copyright (c) 1999-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
 * reserved.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
 * are met:
 *
 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 *
 * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
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 *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
 *    distribution.
 *
 * 3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if
 *    any, must include the following acknowlegement:
 *       "This product includes software developed by the
 *        Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
 *    Alternately, this acknowlegement may appear in the software itself,
 *    if and wherever such third-party acknowlegements normally appear.
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 * 4. The names "The Jakarta Project", "Commons", and "Apache Software
 *    Foundation" must not be used to endorse or promote products derived
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 * 5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache"
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 * ====================================================================
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 * This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many
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 */


package org.apache.commons.digester;


/**
 * <p>Public interface defining a shorthand means of configuring a complete
 * set of related <code>Rule</code> definitions, possibly associated with
 * a particular namespace URI, in one operation.  To use an instance of a
 * class that imlements this interface:</p>
 * <ul>
 * <li>Create a concrete implementation of this interface.</li>
 * <li>Optionally, you can configure a <code>RuleSet</code> to be relevant
 *     only for a particular namespace URI by configuring the value to be
 *     returned by <code>getNamespaceURI()</code>.</li>
 * <li>As you are configuring your Digester instance, call
 *     <code>digester.addRuleSet()</code> and pass the RuleSet instance.</li>
 * <li>Digester will call the <code>addRuleInstances()</code> method of
 *     your RuleSet to configure the necessary rules.</li>
 * </ul>
 *
 * @author Craig R. McClanahan
 * @version $Revision: 1.3 $ $Date: 2003/02/02 16:09:53 $
 */

public interface RuleSet {


    // ------------------------------------------------------------- Properties


    /**
     * Return the namespace URI that will be applied to all Rule instances
     * created from this RuleSet.
     */
    public String getNamespaceURI();


    // --------------------------------------------------------- Public Methods


    /**
     * Add the set of Rule instances defined in this RuleSet to the
     * specified <code>Digester</code> instance, associating them with
     * our namespace URI (if any).  This method should only be called
     * by a Digester instance.
     *
     * @param digester Digester instance to which the new Rule instances
     *  should be added.
     */
    public void addRuleInstances(Digester digester);


}