http://www.eclipse.org/jdt: Java Development Tools Core (Eclipse Foundation) 
Copyright (c) 2000, 2010 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

/*******************************************************************************
 * Copyright (c) 2000, 2010 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.jdt.core;


Common protocol for Java elements that have associated source code. This set consists of IClassFile, ICompilationUnit, IPackageDeclaration, IImportDeclaration, IImportContainer, IType, IField, IMethod, IInitializer, ITypeParameter, ILocalVariable, and IAnnotation. 

Note: For IClassFile, IType and other members
derived from a binary type, the implementation returns source iff the
element has attached source code.




Source reference elements may be working copies if they were created from
a compilation unit that is a working copy.



See Also:
@noimplementThis interface is not intended to be implemented by clients.
/**
 * Common protocol for Java elements that have associated source code.
 * This set consists of {@link IClassFile}, {@link ICompilationUnit},
 * {@link IPackageDeclaration}, {@link IImportDeclaration},
 * {@link IImportContainer}, {@link IType}, {@link IField},
 * {@link IMethod}, {@link IInitializer}, {@link ITypeParameter},
 * {@link ILocalVariable}, and {@link IAnnotation}.
 * <p>
 * Note: For <code>IClassFile</code>, <code>IType</code> and other members
 * derived from a binary type, the implementation returns source iff the
 * element has attached source code.
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * Source reference elements may be working copies if they were created from
 * a compilation unit that is a working copy.
 * </p>
 *
 * @see IPackageFragmentRoot#attachSource(org.eclipse.core.runtime.IPath, org.eclipse.core.runtime.IPath, org.eclipse.core.runtime.IProgressMonitor)
 * @noimplement This interface is not intended to be implemented by clients.
 */
public interface ISourceReference {

Returns whether this element exists in the model.

Returns:true if this element exists in the Java model
Since:2.0
/**
 * Returns whether this element exists in the model.
 *
 * @return <code>true</code> if this element exists in the Java model
 * @since 2.0
 */
boolean exists();


Returns the source code associated with this element.
This extracts the substring from the source buffer containing this source
element. This corresponds to the source range that would be returned by
getSourceRange.


For class files, this returns the source of the entire compilation unit
associated with the class file (if there is one).



Throws:
Returns:the source code, or null if this element has no
  associated source code
/**
 * Returns the source code associated with this element.
 * This extracts the substring from the source buffer containing this source
 * element. This corresponds to the source range that would be returned by
 * <code>getSourceRange</code>.
 * <p>
 * For class files, this returns the source of the entire compilation unit
 * associated with the class file (if there is one).
 * </p>
 *
 * @return the source code, or <code>null</code> if this element has no
 *   associated source code
 * @exception JavaModelException if an exception occurs while accessing its corresponding resource
 */
String getSource() throws JavaModelException;

Returns the source range associated with this element.


For class files, this returns the range of the entire compilation unit
associated with the class file (if there is one).




If this element has no associated source code, either null is returned, or a source range with a -1 offset and a 0 length. SourceRange.isAvailable(ISourceRange) can be used to detect that case. 


Throws:
See Also:
Returns:the source range, or either null or [-1, 0] if this element has no
  associated source code
/**
 * Returns the source range associated with this element.
 * <p>
 * For class files, this returns the range of the entire compilation unit
 * associated with the class file (if there is one).
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * If this element has no associated source code, either <code>null</code> is returned,
 * or a source range with a -1 offset and a 0 length. {@link SourceRange#isAvailable(ISourceRange)}
 * can be used to detect that case.
 * </p>
 *
 * @return the source range, or either <code>null</code> or [-1, 0] if this element has no
 *   associated source code
 * @exception JavaModelException if an exception occurs while accessing its corresponding resource
 * @see SourceRange#isAvailable(ISourceRange)
 */
ISourceRange getSourceRange() throws JavaModelException;


Returns the name range associated with this element.

If the element is an IMember, it returns the source range of this member's simple name, or null if this member does not have a name
(for example, an initializer), or if this member does not have
associated source code (for example, a binary type).


If this element is an IImportDeclaration, the source range of this import declaration's name, or null if this import
declaration does not have associated source code (for example, a binary type).

The source range for the name includes the trailing '*' if the call to IImportDeclaration.isOnDemand() returns true. 


If this element is an IPackageDeclaration, the source range of this package declaration's name, or null if this package 
declaration does not have associated source code (for example, a binary type).


If this element is an IAnnotation, the source range of this annotation's name, or null if this annotation does not have
associated source code (for example, in a binary type).


If this element is an ITypeParameter, the source range of this type parameter's name, or null if this type parameter does not have
associated source code (for example, in a binary type).


If this element is an ITypeRoot or IImportContainer, it returns null.


Returns:the name range associated with this element, or null if
not available
Since:3.7
/**
 * Returns the name range associated with this element.
 * 
 * <p>If the element is an {@link IMember}, it returns
 * the source range of this member's simple name,
 * or <code>null</code> if this member does not have a name
 * (for example, an initializer), or if this member does not have
 * associated source code (for example, a binary type).</p>
 * 
 * <p>If this element is an {@link IImportDeclaration}, the source range
 * of this import declaration's name, or <code>null</code> if this import
 * declaration does not have associated source code (for example, a binary type).
 * <br>The source range for the name includes the trailing '*' if the call to
 * {@link IImportDeclaration#isOnDemand()} returns true.
 * </p>
 *
 * <p>If this element is an {@link IPackageDeclaration}, the source range of
 * this package declaration's name, or <code>null</code> if this package 
 * declaration does not have associated source code (for example, a binary type).</p>
 *
 * <p>If this element is an {@link IAnnotation}, the source range of
 * this annotation's name, or <code>null</code> if this annotation does not have
 * associated source code (for example, in a binary type).</p>
 * 
 * <p>If this element is an {@link ITypeParameter}, the source range of this 
 * type parameter's name, or <code>null</code> if this type parameter does not have
 * associated source code (for example, in a binary type).</p>
 * 
 * <p>If this element is an {@link ITypeRoot} or {@link IImportContainer}, it
 * returns null.</p>
 *
 * @return the name range associated with this element, or <code>null</code> if
 * not available
 *
 * @since 3.7
 */
ISourceRange getNameRange() throws JavaModelException;
}