package at.gv.egovernment.moa.spss.api.common;

/**
 * Encapsulates content data.
 * 
 * @author Patrick Peck
 * @author Stephan Grill
 * @author Gregor Karlinger
 * @version $Id$
 */
public interface Content {

  /**
   * Indicates that this object contains a URI reference to some content. 
   */
  public static final int REFERENCE_CONTENT = 0;

  /**
   * Indicates that this object contains binary content.
   */
  public static final int BINARY_CONTENT = 1;

  /**
   * Indicates that this object contains XML content.
   */
  public static final int XML_CONTENT = 2;
 
  /**
   * Indicates that this object contains a location reference content.
   */
  public static final int LOCREF_CONTENT = 3;

  /**
   * Gets the type of content contained in this object.
   * 
   * @return The type of content, one of <code>BINARY_CONTENT</code>, <code>XML_CONTENT</code>, <code>
   *         REFERENCE_CONTENT</code> or <code>LOCREF_CONTENT</code>.
   */
  public int getContentType();

  /**
   * Gets the reference to the content data (a URI).
   * 
   * @return The reference to the content data.
   */
  public String getReference();
}