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/*
 * $Header: /cvs/glassfish/appserv-api/src/java/com/sun/appserv/management/util/stringifier/Stringifier.java,v 1.2 2007/05/05 05:31:07 tcfujii Exp $
 * $Revision: 1.2 $
 * $Date: 2007/05/05 05:31:07 $
 */
 
 
package com.sun.appserv.management.util.stringifier;

/**
	Convert an object to a String.  The intent of this is to provide a flexible means
	to control the string representation of an Object. The toString() routine has many
	issues, including:
	- appropriateness for end-user viewing (within a CLI for example)
	- an object may not have implemented a toString() method
	- the output of toString() may simply be unacceptable (eg class@eebc1933)
	- it may be desirable to have many variations on the output
	- modifying toString() requires modifying the orignal class; a Stringifier
	or many of them can exist independently, making it easy to apply many different
	types of formatting to the same class.
	
	The intended use is generally to have a separate class implement Stringifier, rather
	than the class to be stringified.
 */
public interface Stringifier
{
	/**
		Produce a String representation of an object.  The actual output has no
		other semantics; each Stringifier may choose to target a particular type
		of user.
		<p>
		The resulting String should be suitable for display to a user.
		
		@param object	the Object for which a String should be produced
	 */
	public String	stringify( Object object );
}