eclipse/ui/IWorkbenchPart.java

/*******************************************************************************
 * Copyright (c) 2000, 2015 IBM Corporation and others.
 *
 * This program and the accompanying materials
 * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0
 * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
 * https://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0/
 *
 * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
 *
 * Contributors:
 *     IBM Corporation - initial API and implementation
 *******************************************************************************/
package org.eclipse.ui;

import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IAdaptable;
import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Image;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Composite;

/**
 * A workbench part is a visual component within a workbench page. There are two
 * subtypes: view and editor, as defined by <code>IViewPart</code> and
 * <code>IEditorPart</code>.
 * <p>
 * A view is typically used to navigate a hierarchy of information (like the
 * workspace), open an editor, or display properties for the active editor.
 * Modifications made in a view are saved immediately.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * An editor is typically used to edit or browse a document or input object. The
 * input is identified using an <code>IEditorInput</code>. Modifications made in
 * an editor part follow an open-save-close lifecycle model.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * This interface may be implemented directly. For convenience, a base
 * implementation is defined in <code>WorkbenchPart</code>.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * The lifecycle of a workbench part is as follows:
 * </p>
 * <ul>
 * <li>When a part extension is created:
 * <ul>
 * <li>instantiate the part</li>
 * <li>create a part site</li>
 * <li>call <code>part.init(site)</code></li>
 * </ul>
 * <li>When a part becomes visible in the workbench:
 * <ul>
 * <li>add part to presentation by calling
 * <code>part.createPartControl(parent)</code> to create actual widgets</li>
 * <li>fire <code>partOpened</code> event to all listeners</li>
 * </ul>
 * </li>
 * <li>When a part is activated or gets focus:
 * <ul>
 * <li>call <code>part.setFocus()</code></li>
 * <li>fire <code>partActivated</code> event to all listeners</li>
 * </ul>
 * </li>
 * <li>When a part is closed:
 * <ul>
 * <li>if save is needed, do save; if it fails or is canceled return</li>
 * <li>if part is active, deactivate part</li>
 * <li>fire <code>partClosed</code> event to all listeners</li>
 * <li>remove part from presentation; part controls are disposed as part of the
 * SWT widget tree
 * <li>call <code>part.dispose()</code></li>
 * </ul>
 * </li>
 * </ul>
 * <p>
 * After <code>createPartControl</code> has been called, the implementor may
 * safely reference the controls created. When the part is closed these controls
 * will be disposed as part of an SWT composite. This occurs before the
 * <code>IWorkbenchPart.dispose</code> method is called. If there is a need to
 * free SWT resources the part should define a dispose listener for its own
 * control and free those resources from the dispose listener. If the part
 * invokes any method on the disposed SWT controls after this point an
 * <code>SWTError</code> will be thrown.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * The last method called on <code>IWorkbenchPart</code> is
 * <code>dispose</code>. This signals the end of the part lifecycle.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * An important point to note about this lifecycle is that following a call to
 * init, createPartControl may never be called. Thus in the dispose method,
 * implementors must not assume controls were created.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * Workbench parts implement the <code>IAdaptable</code> interface; extensions
 * are managed by the platform's adapter manager.
 * </p>
 *
 * @see IViewPart
 * @see IEditorPart
 */
public interface IWorkbenchPart extends IAdaptable {

	/**
	 * The property id for <code>getTitle</code>, <code>getTitleImage</code> and
	 * <code>getTitleToolTip</code>.
	 */
	int PROP_TITLE = IWorkbenchPartConstants.PROP_TITLE;

	/**
	 * Adds a listener for changes to properties of this workbench part. Has no
	 * effect if an identical listener is already registered.
	 * <p>
	 * The property ids are defined in {@link IWorkbenchPartConstants}.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @param listener a property listener
	 */
	void addPropertyListener(IPropertyListener listener);

	/**
	 * Creates the SWT controls for this workbench part.
	 * <p>
	 * Clients should not call this method (the workbench calls this method when it
	 * needs to, which may be never).
	 * </p>
	 * <p>
	 * For implementors this is a multi-step process:
	 * </p>
	 * <ol>
	 * <li>Create one or more controls within the parent.</li>
	 * <li>Set the parent layout as needed.</li>
	 * <li>Register any global actions with the site's
	 * <code>IActionBars</code>.</li>
	 * <li>Register any context menus with the site.</li>
	 * <li>Register a selection provider with the site, to make it available to the
	 * workbench's <code>ISelectionService</code> (optional).</li>
	 * </ol>
	 *
	 * @param parent the parent control
	 */
	void createPartControl(Composite parent);

	/**
	 * Disposes of this workbench part.
	 * <p>
	 * This is the last method called on the <code>IWorkbenchPart</code>. At this
	 * point the part controls (if they were ever created) have been disposed as
	 * part of an SWT composite. There is no guarantee that createPartControl() has
	 * been called, so the part controls may never have been created.
	 * </p>
	 * <p>
	 * Within this method a part may release any resources, fonts, images,
	 * etc.&nbsp; held by this part. It is also very important to deregister all
	 * listeners from the workbench.
	 * </p>
	 * <p>
	 * Clients should not call this method (the workbench calls this method at
	 * appropriate times).
	 * </p>
	 */
	void dispose();

	/**
	 * Returns the site for this workbench part. The site can be <code>null</code>
	 * while the workbench part is being initialized. After the initialization is
	 * complete, this value must be non-<code>null</code> for the remainder of the
	 * part's life cycle.
	 *
	 * @return The part site; this value may be <code>null</code> if the part has
	 *         not yet been initialized
	 */
	IWorkbenchPartSite getSite();

	/**
	 * Returns the title of this workbench part. If this value changes the part must
	 * fire a property listener event with <code>PROP_TITLE</code>.
	 * <p>
	 * The title is used to populate the title bar of this part's visual container.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @return the workbench part title (not <code>null</code>)
	 */
	String getTitle();

	/**
	 * Returns the title image of this workbench part. If this value changes the
	 * part must fire a property listener event with <code>PROP_TITLE</code>.
	 * <p>
	 * The title image is usually used to populate the title bar of this part's
	 * visual container. Since this image is managed by the part itself, callers
	 * must <b>not</b> dispose the returned image.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @return the title image
	 */
	Image getTitleImage();

	/**
	 * Returns the title tool tip text of this workbench part. An empty string
	 * result indicates no tool tip. If this value changes the part must fire a
	 * property listener event with <code>PROP_TITLE</code>.
	 * <p>
	 * The tool tip text is used to populate the title bar of this part's visual
	 * container.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @return the workbench part title tool tip (not <code>null</code>)
	 */
	String getTitleToolTip();

	/**
	 * Removes the given property listener from this workbench part. Has no effect
	 * if an identical listener is not registered.
	 *
	 * @param listener a property listener
	 */
	void removePropertyListener(IPropertyListener listener);

	/**
	 * Asks this part to take focus within the workbench. Parts must assign focus to
	 * one of the controls contained in the part's parent composite.
	 * <p>
	 * Clients should not call this method (the workbench calls this method at
	 * appropriate times). To have the workbench activate a part, use
	 * <code>IWorkbenchPage.activate(IWorkbenchPart) instead</code>.
	 * </p>
	 */
	void setFocus();
}