/*$************************************************************************************************
 **
 ** $Id: PositionFactory.java 1122 2007-11-24 18:49:16Z desruisseaux $
 **
 ** $URL: https://geoapi.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/geoapi/tags/2.1.1/geoapi/src/main/java/org/opengis/geometry/PositionFactory.java $
 **
 ** Copyright (C) 2003-2005 Open GIS Consortium, Inc.
 ** All Rights Reserved. http://www.opengis.org/legal/
 **
 *************************************************************************************************/
package org.opengis.geometry;

import java.util.List;
import org.opengis.referencing.crs.CoordinateReferenceSystem;
import org.opengis.geometry.coordinate.PointArray;
import org.opengis.geometry.coordinate.Position;


/**
 * A factory for managing {@linkplain DirectPosition direct position} creation.
 * <p>
 * This factory will be created for a known {@linkplain CoordinateReferenceSystem
 * Coordinate Reference System} and {@linkplain Precision precision} model.
 * </p>
 *
 * @author Jody Garnett
 * @since GeoAPI 2.1
 */
public interface PositionFactory {
    /**
     * Returns the coordinate reference system in use for all
     * {@linkplain DirectPosition direct positions} to be created
     * through this interface.
     */
    CoordinateReferenceSystem getCoordinateReferenceSystem();

    /**
     * The Precision used used by {@linkplain DirectPosition direct positions}
     * created via this factory.
     * <p>
     * The Precision is used to inform topological operations of the number of
     * significant digits maintained by the {@link DirectPosition} instances. This
     * information both helps operations stop when the correct level of detail is
     * reached, and ensure the result will be valid when rounded to the required
     * precision.
     */
    Precision getPrecision();

    /**
     * Creates a direct position at the specified location specified by coordinates.
     * <p>
     * Implementations have the option of taking ownership of the provided
     * coordinate array. You should not attempt to reuse this array after it
     * has been provided to this factory method.
     *
     * @param coordinates Array of ordinates used for this DirectPosition
     * @throws MismatchedDimensionException if the coordinates array length doesn't match
     *         the {@linkplain #getCoordinateReferenceSystem coordinate reference system}
     *         dimension.
     */
    DirectPosition createDirectPosition(double[] coordinates)
            throws MismatchedDimensionException;

    /**
     * Constructs a position from an other position by copying the coordinate values of the
     * position. There will be no further reference to the position instance.
     *
     * @param position A position.
     * @return The position which defines the coordinates for the other position.
     */
    Position createPosition(Position position);

    /**
     * Creates a (possibiliy optimized) list for positions. The list is initially
     * empty. New direct positions can be stored using the {@link List#add} method.
     */
    PointArray createPointArray();

    /**
     * Creates a list for positions initialised from the specified values.
     * <p>
     * Implementations have the option of taking ownership of the provided
     * coordinate array. You should not attempt to reuse this array after it
     * has been provided to this factory method.
     *
     * @param coordinates The coordinates to assign to the list of positions.
     * @param start       The first valid value in the {@code coordinates} array.
     * @param length      The number of valid values in the {@code coordinates} array.
     * @return            The list of positions.
     */
    PointArray createPointArray(double[] coordinates, int start, int length);

    /**
     * Creates a list for positions initialized from the specified values.
     * <p>
     * Implementations have the option of taking ownership of the provided
     * coordinate array. You should not attempt to reuse this array after it
     * has been provided to this factory method.
     *
     * @param coordinates The coordinates to assign to the list of positions.
     * @param start       The first valid value in the {@code coordinates} array.
     * @param length      The number of valid values in the {@code coordinates} array.
     * @return            The list of positions.
     */
    PointArray createPointArray(float[] coordinates, int start, int length);
}
