001/*
002 *                    BioJava development code
003 *
004 * This code may be freely distributed and modified under the
005 * terms of the GNU Lesser General Public Licence.  This should
006 * be distributed with the code.  If you do not have a copy,
007 * see:
008 *
009 *      http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html
010 *
011 * Copyright for this code is held jointly by the individual
012 * authors.  These should be listed in @author doc comments.
013 *
014 * For more information on the BioJava project and its aims,
015 * or to join the biojava-l mailing list, visit the home page
016 * at:
017 *
018 *      http://www.biojava.org/
019 *
020 */
021
022package org.biojava.bio.seq;
023
024import org.biojava.bio.BioException;
025
026/**
027 * Interface for <code>FeatureHolder</code> objects which know how to
028 * instantiate new child Features.  This interface should not be
029 * needed in normal client programs, since they will use the
030 * <code>createFeature</code> method of <code>FeatureHolder</code> to
031 * add new features.  However, this method exposes the feature
032 * realization infrastructure to child features.  </p>
033 *
034 * @see org.biojavax.bio.seq.RichFeatureRelationshipHolder
035 * @author Thomas Down
036 */
037
038public interface RealizingFeatureHolder extends FeatureHolder {
039    /**
040     * Realize a feature template.  This will be a template which has
041     * been passed to the <code>createFeature</code> method of either
042     * this <code>FeatureHolder</code> or one of our child Features. 
043     */
044
045    public Feature realizeFeature(FeatureHolder parent,
046                                  Feature.Template template)
047        throws BioException;
048}