// $Id: SelectExpression.java 7460 2005-07-12 20:27:29Z steveebersole $
package org.hibernate.hql.ast.tree;

import org.hibernate.type.Type;

import antlr.SemanticException;

/**
 * Represents an element of a projection list, i.e. a select expression.
 *
 * @author josh Sep 21, 2004 9:00:13 PM
 */
public interface SelectExpression {
	/**
	 * Returns the data type of the select expression.
	 *
	 * @return The data type of the select expression.
	 */
	Type getDataType();

	/**
	 * Appends AST nodes that represent the columns after the current AST node.
	 * (e.g. 'as col0_O_')
	 *
	 * @param i The index of the select expression in the projection list.
	 */
	void setScalarColumnText(int i) throws SemanticException;

	/**
	 * Returns the FROM element that this expression refers to.
	 *
	 * @return The FROM element.
	 */
	FromElement getFromElement();

	/**
	 * Returns true if the element is a constructor (e.g. new Foo).
	 *
	 * @return true if the element is a constructor (e.g. new Foo).
	 */
	boolean isConstructor();

	/**
	 * Returns true if this select expression represents an entity that can be returned.
	 *
	 * @return true if this select expression represents an entity that can be returned.
	 */
	boolean isReturnableEntity() throws SemanticException;

	/**
	 * Sets the text of the node.
	 *
	 * @param text the new node text.
	 */
	void setText(String text);

	boolean isScalar() throws SemanticException;
	
	void setAlias(String alias);
	String getAlias();
}