java.util.spi

Class LocaleServiceProvider

Known Direct Subclasses:
BreakIteratorProvider, CollatorProvider, CurrencyNameProvider, DateFormatProvider, DateFormatSymbolsProvider, DecimalFormatSymbolsProvider, LocaleNameProvider, NumberFormatProvider, TimeZoneNameProvider

public abstract class LocaleServiceProvider
extends Object

This is the superclass of all the Locale service provider interfaces or SPIs. The locale SPIs are used to allow for the provision of additional support for locale-specific data. The runtime environment has its own collection of locale data, but these interfaces allow this to be extended by external classes.

Service providers are created as concrete implementations of these interfaces, and accessed using the extension mechanism, realised by ServiceLoader. When a factory method of one of the locale-specific classes (such as DateFormatSymbols or Currency) is called, the runtime environment is first asked to provide data for the specified locale. If the runtime environment fails to provide this, then the offer is made to service providers which implement the appropriate interface.

Each provider implements the method specified by this class, getAvailableLocales(). This method is called first to determine whether the provider will be of any use in providing data for the specified locale. If a provider is found to be capable, then a more specific method appropriate to the class requiring the data will be called. In the case of DateFormatSymbols, this would be java.text.spi.DateFormatSymbols.getInstance(Locale).

If neither a service provider nor the runtime environment itself can fulfill the request, a fallback procedure is engaged. The locale is modified by applying the first applicable rule:

  1. If the variant contains a '_', then this and everything following it is trimmed.
  2. If the variant is non-empty, it is converted to an empty string.
  3. If the country is non-empty, it is converted to an empty string.
  4. If the language is non-empty, it is converted to an empty string.

The modified locale is then used to start the same process again. The root locale (@link java.util.Locale#ROOT} must be supported by the runtime environment in order to terminate this cycle.

Note that any names returned by the providers may be null. Returning a null name is considered equivalent to not supporting a particular locale.

Since:
1.6

Constructor Summary

LocaleServiceProvider()
Constructs a new LocaleServiceProvider.

Method Summary

abstract Locale[]
getAvailableLocales()
Returns an array of Locale instances, for which the provider can supply localized data.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, extends Object> getClass, finalize, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Details

LocaleServiceProvider

protected LocaleServiceProvider()
Constructs a new LocaleServiceProvider. Provided for implicit invocation by subclasses.

Method Details

getAvailableLocales

public abstract Locale[] getAvailableLocales()
Returns an array of Locale instances, for which the provider can supply localized data.
Returns:
an array of supported locales.

LocaleServiceProvider.java -- Superclass of locale SPIs Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This file is part of GNU Classpath. GNU Classpath is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later version. GNU Classpath is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with GNU Classpath; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA. Linking this library statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on this library. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination. As a special exception, the copyright holders of this library give you permission to link this library with independent modules to produce an executable, regardless of the license terms of these independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting executable under terms of your choice, provided that you also meet, for each linked independent module, the terms and conditions of the license of that module. An independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on this library. If you modify this library, you may extend this exception to your version of the library, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.