001    /*
002     * CDDL HEADER START
003     *
004     * The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the
005     * Common Development and Distribution License, Version 1.0 only
006     * (the "License").  You may not use this file except in compliance
007     * with the License.
008     *
009     * You can obtain a copy of the license at
010     * docs/licenses/cddl.txt
011     * or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/cddl1.php.
012     * See the License for the specific language governing permissions
013     * and limitations under the License.
014     *
015     * When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each
016     * file and include the License file at
017     * docs/licenses/cddl.txt.  If applicable,
018     * add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the fields enclosed
019     * by brackets "[]" replaced with your own identifying information:
020     *      Portions Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
021     *
022     * CDDL HEADER END
023     *
024     *
025     *      Copyright 2010-2014 UnboundID Corp.
026     */
027    package com.unboundid.directory.sdk.common.schema;
028    
029    
030    
031    import com.unboundid.util.ByteString;
032    import com.unboundid.util.NotExtensible;
033    import com.unboundid.util.ThreadSafety;
034    import com.unboundid.util.ThreadSafetyLevel;
035    
036    
037    
038    /**
039     * This interface provides an API for interacting with ordering matching rules,
040     * which can be used to determine the logical order of two values in a sorted
041     * list.
042     */
043    @NotExtensible()
044    @ThreadSafety(level=ThreadSafetyLevel.INTERFACE_THREADSAFE)
045    public interface OrderingMatchingRule
046           extends MatchingRule
047    {
048      /**
049       * Compares the provided values to determine their logical order in a sorted
050       * list.
051       *
052       * @param  normValue1  The normalized form of the first value for which to
053       *                     make the determination.
054       * @param  normValue2  The normalized form of the second value for which to
055       *                     make the determination.
056       *
057       * @return  A negative value if the first value should be ordered before the
058       *          second, a positive value if the first value should be ordered
059       *          after the second, or zero if there is no logical difference
060       *          between the provided values.
061       */
062      int compareValues(final ByteString normValue1, final ByteString normValue2);
063    }